Joao Fonseca is having a really tough start to 2026. The Brazilian tennis star has pulled out of the Adelaide International because of a stubborn back injury that’s been bothering him since late 2024.
This is pretty concerning for tennis fans. Fonseca’s only 19, but he’s already dealing with chronic back problems that could seriously impact his career.
The injury forced him to miss the 2025 Next Gen Finals too, which was a huge disappointment. That tournament’s supposed to showcase the ATP’s brightest young talent, and losing Fonseca definitely hurt its appeal.
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Racing Against Time for the Australian Open
Fonseca was supposed to kick off his season at the Brisbane International, but he had to skip that as well. Now Adelaide’s off the table too.
His main goal? Getting healthy enough to play the Australian Open, which starts January 18th.
"Unfortunately, I’m not able to play here. It’s difficult to make this decision. I felt those days that we were practising, every day feeling a little bit better, but it’s difficult to say that I’m a hundred per cent."
The frustration in his voice is pretty clear. He’s been practicing and feeling some improvement, but he’s just not ready yet.
"We are trying our best to recover a hundred per cent to play the Australian Open, which is our main goal. That decision is not made. We want to play, we think that it’s going to be possible. So we want to focus on the recovery, and unfortunately I couldn’t play here, and I hope to come back stronger next year."
A Long History of Back Problems
Here’s what’s really worrying – Fonseca revealed that back issues have been a constant companion throughout his young career.
Last year’s Argentina Open winner admitted he was basically born with this problem. At just 19, he’s already dealing with something most athletes don’t face until much later in their careers.
"I was born with something in my back, and sometimes it’s more tight. I had a stress fracture five years ago, but it’s something that it’s going to be in my body, so I need to deal with it."
Think about that for a second. He had a stress fracture when he was just 14 years old.
"I’m just trying my best to recover. We did a MRI, and it’s nothing very serious, but can be serious, so we want to be a hundred per cent to play."
The MRI results sound like a mixed bag – nothing immediately dangerous, but serious enough that pushing through could make things much worse.
Nobody knows for sure if he’ll make it to the Australian Open. Brazilian fans around the world are probably holding their breath right now, hoping their young star can get healthy in time for the first Grand Slam of the year.
Djokovic Also Pulls Out of Adelaide
Fonseca isn’t the only big name missing from Adelaide this year. Novak Djokovic, the ten-time Australian Open champion, also withdrew from the tournament.
The 38-year-old’s reasoning was different though. He simply said he wasn’t ready to compete yet after his off-season break and wanted to use the remaining time to prepare properly for Melbourne.
It’s pretty unusual for Djokovic to skip warm-up tournaments. He played the Geneva Open right before the French Open last year, so this withdrawal suggests he’s really focused on being in peak condition for the Australian Open.
Djokovic won’t be playing Davis Cup for Serbia either – their tie against Chile is scheduled just days after the Australian Open ends. That shows you how laser-focused he is on chasing that 25th Grand Slam title.
For Adelaide organizers, losing both Fonseca and Djokovic has got to sting. Two of their biggest draws are now sitting on the sidelines, though for very different reasons.
