Preview: Wimbledon: Jacob Fearnley vs. Joao Fonseca - prediction, form, head-to-head

Jacob Fearnley faces Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday, aiming to finally prevail over the 18-year-old.    

The British player, who recently competed in his first ATP Tour quarter-final at the Queen’s Club Championships, seeks to build on his positive grass-court preparations ahead of the Championships by outlasting the debutant.

Match preview

Much has changed for Fearnley since making his Grand Slam debut as a wildcard at Wimbledon 12 months ago.

Then ranked No. 277 in the world, the 23-year-old defeated Spanish qualifier Alejandro Moro Canas in straight sets in the first round and impressed Novak Djokovic with his ball-striking in the following match, taking a set off the greatest men's tennis player of all time, although he could not force a deciding set.

That two-hour 47-minute battle with Djokovic laid the groundwork for Fearnley's rise on the tour, and the Briton enters this year's Championships at No. 51 in the world, having competed at the Australian and French Opens this year.

Having reached the third round in the first two majors of 2025, after losing to Alexander Zverev Down Under and Cameron Norrie in Paris, Fearnley aims to maintain his streak of never losing a first-round match at a Slam.

Although the Brit has a modest 4-5 career record on grass, three of those wins have come in 2025, highlighting the Queen's quarter-finalist's ascent on the tour.

Aiming for his fourth first-round victory at a Grand Slam, the home favourite seeks to end his losing streak against the talented Fonseca, whose exploits on tour have showcased his high potential.

The Next Gen Finals winner made a statement on the men's tour in 2025, upsetting Andrey Rublev, then a top-10 player, in Australia at the start of the year, and claiming his first tour-level title in Buenos Aires in February, defeating three higher-ranked opponents along the way.

Fonseca has enjoyed strong support at tournaments in South and North America in 2025, but faces a crowd unlikely to be cheering for him on Monday's debut at the Championships.

The world No. 57 enters the third major of the year with a 13-10 season record and is eager for his 14th win against the home player and recent Queen's quarter-finalist.

However, Fonseca's 1-3 record on grass could be a handicap, as one victory in four previous grass-court matches indicates he has much room for improvement on the surface.

Head To Head

Indian Wells (2025) - First round: Fonseca 6-2 1-6 6-3  

Fonseca leads Fearnley 1-0 in their ATP Tour head-to-head, having also defeated the Briton earlier in 2025 at a Challenger event in Canberra.    

The teenager’s tour-level win was at Indian Wells, where a nearly partisan crowd supported the Brazilian sensation in a three-set victory in the desert.    

Unlike the 18-year-old, who is 1-3 in grass events at tour level, Fearnley sports a 4-5 record on the surface, with his best result recently coming at Queen's, where he reached the quarter-finals before falling to eventual runner-up Jiri Lehecka.  

We say: Fearnley to win in four sets

While Fonseca is no stranger to upset victories, facing Fearnley in London could sway the match in favour of the home player.    

Supported by the Wimbledon crowd, the Briton, who excels on grass much more than the Brazilian, is expected to secure the win and progress to a second-round encounter against Jenson Brooksby or Tallon Griekspoor.  

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