"I was born in 2006" - Joao Fonseca cracks playful age joke with Team World captain Andre Agassi after Laver Cup win

Joao Fonseca cracked a playful age-related joke with Team World captain Andre Agassi at the Laver Cup. Interestingly, the teammates are generations apart, and the Brazilian was born days after the American finished his career in 2006.

On Friday, September 19, the eighth edition of the 2025 Laver Cup kicked off. Five-time winners Team Europe commenced the event in style by winning both singles matches in the morning session.

In the singles match during the evening session, Team World pulled one point back after Joao Fonseca got the better of Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 6-3. During the post-match interview, the 19-year-old Brazilian was reminded about the fact that he was born just 12 days after Agassi retired in 2006 at the US Open.

"We were actually joking about this. He [Agassi] was like ‘I retired in 2006.’ I was like ‘I was born in 2006.’ He said ‘thanks man… thanks,’" Joao Fonseca said.

Fonseca is joined by Reilly Opelka, Alex de Minaur, Francisco Cerundolo, Taylor Fritz, and Alex Michelsen in Team World. Meanwhile, their opposition includes Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik, and Flavio Cobolli in Team Europe at the 2025 Laver Cup.

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Joao Fonseca speaks about the experience of playing under Andre Agassi and Pat Rafter's guidance at the Laver Cup

Andre Agassi and Joao Fonseca at the Laver Cup 2025 - Source: Getty

During the post-match interview, Joao Fonseca also spoke about the experience of being guided by Team World captain Andre Agassi and vice captain Pat Rafter.

"It’s amazing... I think it’s a lot of things coming from those legends that’s important to put in mind. There’s a lot of things that not only experience tells you, so I’m thankful a lot to [Andre Agassi] and to [Vice Captain] Pat [Rafter] for this week and helping me to have more experience," Joao Fonseca said.

In the final match of the day, Team Europe extended its lead by winning the doubles encounter. Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik defeated the team of Alex Michelsen and Taylor Fritz to help Team Europe end the day with a 3-1 lead.

Earlier on Day 1, Mensik defeated Michelsen 6-1, 6-7(3), 10-8, and Casper Ruud got the better of Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-6(4). On Day 2, Alcaraz is expected to play his first singles match at this year's Laver Cup. The World No. 1 won both his singles matches last year to help Team Europe win 13-11.