Two games and then gone. The tour ofArthur Son in South America is coming to an end following three hours on the courts. Only three hours. The 19-year-old Frenchman, who had joined the “South American jungle” to train on clay in preparation for the European tour, Roland-Garros and then the Olympic Games, saw his adventure cut short. On Wednesday evening, he lost in two sets once morest the young Brazilian tennis prodigy Joao Fonseca17 years old, 655th in the ATP rankings but expected to be one of the most promising tennis players.
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Son on Fonseca: “He will have a very bright future”
6-0, 6-4. Clean and burr-free. Arthur Fils never really got into his match once morest the young Brazilian, who dictated his law in the exchanges and showed his power. Besides, Arthur Son praised his opponent following the match in the mixed zone: “I knew it would be a difficult match. He played very well. He did an excellent job. Today he had no weaknesses. I tried to go to his right, to his left… he will have a very bright future“, said the Frenchman following his defeat.
His country. His moment ✨
17-year-old Joao Fonseca of Brazil defeats Fils 6-0 6-4 to become the first player born in 2006 or later to win a match on the ATP Tour!#RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/UppG0gGeAA
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 21, 2024
“We learn more from our defeats than from our victories, it seems”
Arthur Fils suffered in his first two career matches in South America. First in Argentina, where he lost in the first round of the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires once morest Dusan Lajovic (6-3, 6-4), then in Brazil. “The results on the tour are not good. I hope that all the work on earth will end up being useful. For the moment I don’t really see how it will be useful, but hey, we learn more from our defeats than from our victories, it seems…”, he agreed according to comments reported by L’Equipe. Arthur Son will have one last opportunity to shine a few hundred kilometers away, this time in Santiago, Chile. Unless there is a last minute withdrawal, he will compete in the ATP 250 which will begin next week. He should be seeded No. 3, behind the local Nicolas Jarry then the earth Sebastian Baez.