Fonseca and Matos lose debut to French at ATP 500 in Basel

João Fonseca returned to the field this Monday, in the doubles category of the ATP 500 in Basel, Switzerland, and returned with a defeat. He and Gaucho Rafael Matos took the lead and earned a match point in the second set, but lost to experienced French tournament guests Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert by 6/7(2), 7/6(6) and 11/9.

The match was full of drama, with the French saving ten break points – and four set points – in the first set. Despite the missed opportunities, Matos and Fonseca were better in the tie-break and closed the partial 7/6(2).

In the second set, the Brazilians broke first and had the opportunity to seal the match when Matos served at 6/5. However, while they had a match point in a deciding point, Matos and Fonseca saw Mahut make a big comeback that forced João into an error – which broke the gaucho’s serve. With a score of 6/6, a new tie-break was necessary. This time, the French took the advantage and opened 6/2, with four set points, but the Brazilians recovered and, thanks to a superb return from Fonseca, equalized the score at 6/6. But two points later, a precise volley from Mahut defined the decisive game and the partial: 7/6(6).