Rio Open Presented By Claro Predictions: Joao Fonseca Vs Alexandre Muller – Tuesday 18 February 2025

Let’s have a look at all the career, performance and head-to-head stats for the match and find out if Joao Fonseca or Alexandre Muller is expected to win.

Match Details:

Joao Fonseca vs Alexandre Muller – Tuesday 18 February 2025 – Rio Open Presented By Claro – Jockey Club Brasileiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Joao Fonseca vs Alexandre Muller Head-to-Head, Preview, Stats & Pick:

Head To Head First Meeting.

In this highly anticipated match-up, young rising star Joao Fonseca of Brazil will face off against experienced player Alexandre Muller of France. This will be the first meeting between the two, adding an extra element of excitement to the match.

At just 18 years old, Fonseca has already made a name for himself in the tennis world. He achieved the impressive feat of becoming the World No. 1 in juniors in September 2023. After breaking into the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings, Fonseca reached a career-high position of No. 68 in February 2025. Notably, he captured his first ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires earlier this year, becoming the first champion born in 2006 or later.

Fonseca’s success does not stop there. He made history at the Australian Open by defeating No. 9 ranked Rublev in the first round as a qualifier, making him the youngest man to ever defeat a Top 10 player at the Australian Open in the PIF ATP Rankings history. He also had an impressive performance at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals, going undefeated with a 5-0 record and joining the esteemed company of Alcaraz and Sinner as the only 18-year-old champions in the event’s history. Furthermore, at his hometown tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Fonseca defeated No. 36 ranked Fils in the first round and 2020 champion Garin in the second round, making him the youngest Brazilian quarter-finalist in the Open Era.

Notably, Fonseca’s recent form is excellent, with a 5-match winning streak following his triumph in Buenos Aires. He made his ATP Tour debut at this very venue in 2023 and last year, he became the youngest quarter-finalist in the tournament’s history with wins over Fils and Garin, albeit ultimately losing to Navone.

On the other side of the net, 28-year-old Alexandre Muller brings his wealth of experience to the match. He has steadily climbed the rankings over the years, breaking into the Top 500 in 2016, Top 250 in 2019, and finally reaching the Top 100 in April 2023. Muller achieved his career-high ranking of No. 56 in January 2025 after defeating former No. 4 Nishikori to capture his first ATP Tour title in Hong Kong. In an impressive display of resilience, Muller rallied from a set down in all matches played at the tournament, becoming only the third man in the Open Era to win a tour-level title in this manner. The other two players to achieve this feat were Ashe at the 1975 WCT Finals and Bublik at the 2024 Montpellier.

Muller’s accomplishments also include defeating clay-court champions Gasquet and Musetti en route to his first semifinal and final at the 2023 Marrakech tournament. Furthermore, he secured the biggest win of his career by defeating No. 6 ranked Rublev to reach the fourth round at the 2024 ATP Masters 1000 Rome.

Although Fonseca is the younger and perhaps more exciting player to watch, Muller should not be underestimated. He made his tour-level debut at the 2017 Roland Garros, albeit ending in a loss to Monteiro, and he won his first tour-level match at the 2021 Australian Open as a lucky loser, beating Londero in the first round. Additionally, Muller has had success in the Challenger circuit, boasting a record of 138-122 with three finals appearances and one title under his belt.

Interestingly, Muller’s tennis journey started at a young age, as he had a tennis court at his childhood home and began playing with his father at the age of six. He admits that he was initially more talented in football than tennis but ultimately chose tennis as his sport of choice.

In terms of recent performances, Muller is looking to regain his winning form after his victory in Hong Kong in the opening week of the season. If he secures a win in this match, he could potentially become the first French player to win in Rio de Janeiro since Monfils reached the quarterfinals in 2018, joining other French players such as Gaston and Moutet in this achievement.

As the anticipation builds, tennis fans eagerly await this thrilling showdown between the young and talented Fonseca and the experienced Muller. With both players bringing their own unique strengths and achievements to the court, this match promises to be a captivating and fiercely competitive battle on Quadra 1.

Joao Fonseca vs Alexandre Muller Prediction:

I believe Joao Fonseca will win in straight sets.
The Stevegtennis.com prediction algorithm has a much better success rate in picking
match winners than me!

So check out who it picks for this match here:
Stevegtennis.com Joao Fonseca vs Alexandre Muller prediction.