Fonseca Advances to Rio Open Round of 16, Faces Buse

João Fonseca secured his place in the round of 16 at the Rio Open, defeating Thiago Monteiro 2-0 on February 17, 2026. Fonseca, currently ranked 38th, will now face Ignacio Buse, ranked 91st, on February 19, 2026, at 13:30 local time.

Match Recap: Fonseca vs. Monteiro

The match marked the first confrontation between the two players in an ATP tournament. According to Monteiro, Fonseca raised his level in the tie-break, making five winners from seven points.

Looking Ahead: Fonseca vs. Buse

Ignacio Buse advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Igor Marcondes. Both Fonseca and Buse have a 3-3 win-loss record in their last six matches.

Fonseca’s Recent Form

• February 17, 2026: Defeated Thiago Monteiro 2-0 at the ATP Rio Open
• February 11, 2026: Lost to Alejandro Tabilo 1-2 at the ATP Buenos Aires
• January 19, 2026: Lost to Eliot Spizzirri 1-3 at the ATP Australian Open
• October 29, 2025: Defeated Karen Khachanov 2-1 at the Rolex Paris Masters
• October 28, 2025: Defeated Denis Shapovalov 2-1 at the Rolex Paris Masters
• October 26, 2025: Defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 2-0 at Swiss Indoors ATP Basel

Buse’s Recent Form

• February 16, 2026: Defeated Igor Marcondes 2-1 at the ATP Rio Open
• February 12, 2026: Lost to Sebastian Baez 0-2 at the ATP Buenos Aires
• February 10, 2026: Defeated Francesco Passaro 2-1 at the ATP Buenos Aires
• October 11, 2025: Lost to Arthur Fery 0-2 at the Stockholm Open
• August 24, 2025: Lost to Ben Shelton 0-3 at the ATP US Open
• August 22, 2025: Defeated Kimmer Coppejans 2-0 at the ATP US Open

Fonseca to Participate in MGM Slaman Exhibition Tournament

Following the Rio Open, Fonseca is scheduled to compete in the MGM Slaman exhibition tournament on March 1st, where the champion will receive a $1 million prize. Other confirmed players include Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Casper Ruud, Gael Monfils, Lorenzo Musetti, Nick Kyrgios, and Alexander Bublik.

Sources: Flashscore, SportyTrader