João Sousa facts for kids
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Sousa at the 2022 French Open
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| Full name | João Pedro Coelho Marinho de Sousa |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Portugal |
| Residence | Barcelona, Spain |
| Born | 30 March 1989 Guimarães, Portugal |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Turned pro | 2008 |
| Retired | 2024 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Frederico Marques |
| Prize money | US$8,329,175 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 220–269 (44.99% in Grand Slams, ATP Tour, Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Highest ranking | No. 28 (16 May 2016) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2015, 2016, 2019) |
| French Open | 2R (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (2019) |
| US Open | 4R (2018) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 2R (2016) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 101–141 (41.74% in Grand Slams, ATP Tour & Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 26 (13 May 2019) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (2019) |
| French Open | 3R (2014, 2018) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2018) |
| US Open | QF (2015, 2019, 2022) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 2R (2016) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | 38–26 |
João Pedro Coelho Marinho de Sousa (born March 30, 1989), known as João Sousa, is a Portuguese former professional tennis player. He reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 28 in May 2016. He also achieved a doubles ranking of No. 26 in May 2019. João was ranked among the world's top 100 players for many years. With four ATP Tour singles titles, he is often seen as Portugal's best tennis player ever. He is nicknamed Conquistador (meaning "Conqueror" in Portuguese). This nickname comes from his hometown of Guimarães, which is also where Portugal's first king, Afonso I, was born. João Sousa was coached by former player Frederico Marques. He trained at the BTT Tennis Academy in Barcelona.
João started playing tennis when he was seven. At fifteen, he moved to Barcelona to focus on his tennis career. He became a professional player in 2008. He won his first singles tournament in 2009. In 2013, he made history at the Malaysian Open. He became the first Portuguese player to win a top-level ATP World Tour singles tournament. He also became the first Portuguese player to enter the top 50 in the world rankings. In 2016, he became the first Portuguese player to reach the top 30. He also holds records for the most career prize money and Grand Slam singles wins for a Portuguese player. João Sousa retired from professional tennis in February 2024. His last tournament was the 2024 Estoril Open.
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Early Life and Family
João Sousa was born in Guimarães, Portugal. His father, Armando, was a judge and loved playing tennis. His mother, Adelaide, worked at a bank. João has a younger brother named Luís Carlos. He started playing tennis with his dad at a local club when he was seven.
In 2001, João won the national under-12 singles title. He also played football until he was 14. He played for local clubs like Vitória de Guimarães. At 14, he decided to focus only on tennis.
Moving to Barcelona
In September 2004, when he was 15, João moved to Barcelona, Spain. He went to a boarding school there. He also joined the Catalan Tennis Federation. A year later, he joined the BTT Tennis Academy. This academy was suggested by his countryman Rui Machado. At the academy, he met his future coach, Frederico Marques. João continued to train at BTT even after joining the ATP Tour.
João's tennis heroes when he was young were Pete Sampras, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Roger Federer. He speaks many languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, English, French, and Italian. Since 2008, he has been with Júlia Villanueva. They met while he was training in Barcelona.
João and his family own a hotel in his hometown of Guimarães. It is called the Conquistador Palace hotel. It opened in November 2021.
Tennis Career Highlights
Starting as a Junior Player
João Sousa played his first junior tournament in August 2004. He reached the semifinals. He won his first junior doubles title in April 2005. He never won a junior singles title. However, he reached three singles finals. He also won five doubles titles.
In 2007, João reached his highest junior ranking of number 61 in the world. He played in the qualifying rounds of the 2007 French Open Boys' Singles tournament.
Early Professional Years (2008–2012)
In 2008, João won his first professional doubles title. He also played in his first ATP Tour tournament, the Estoril Open. He won his first ATP match there. João also started playing on the ATP Challenger Tour and for the Portugal Davis Cup team in 2008.
In 2009, he won his first professional singles title. In 2010, he won his first Challenger doubles title. He started playing more Challenger tournaments. In 2011, João reached a big milestone. He won his first singles title on the Challenger Tour. He also tried to enter a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
In 2012, João reached the quarterfinals of an ATP tournament for the first time. This was at the 2012 Estoril Open. He also made his Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2012 French Open. In October 2012, João became the top-ranked Portuguese tennis player. He also entered the ATP top 100 singles ranking for the first time. He was the fourth Portuguese player to do so.
Breaking Through (2013)
João started 2013 by playing in ATP hardcourt tournaments. At the Australian Open, he won his first Grand Slam match. He then lost to world number three Andy Murray.
In September, João helped Portugal's Davis Cup team. They were promoted to Group I for 2014. João had a great run at the St. Petersburg Open. He reached his first ATP tour semifinal.
His biggest win came at the Malaysian Open. He defeated world No. 4 David Ferrer. This was his first win against a top-10 player. João then won the final, becoming the first Portuguese player to win an ATP World Tour singles tournament. He climbed from No. 77 to No. 51 in the world. He officially entered the top 50 in October 2013. He was the first Portuguese player to finish a season in the top 50.
Building on Success (2014)
In 2014, João reached the semifinals of a doubles competition. He defeated the world No. 1 doubles team. At the 2014 US Open, he became the first Portuguese player to be seeded at a Grand Slam.
He reached his second ATP singles final of the season at the 2014 Moselle Open. He lost the final to David Goffin. João became the second Portuguese player to reach the top 100 in both singles and doubles rankings. He was the first Portuguese player to stay in the top 100 by playing only on the ATP World Tour for a whole season.
More Milestones (2015)
João started 2015 by reaching the third round of the 2015 Australian Open. He was the second Portuguese player to do so. He reached his first final of the season at the Geneva Open.
At the US Open, João reached the quarterfinals in men's doubles. He was the second Portuguese player to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in doubles. In September, he helped Portugal's Davis Cup team get promoted to Group I for 2016.
João won his second career ATP title at the 2015 Valencia Open. He defeated four higher-ranked players. He reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 34. He finished the season at world No. 33.
Reaching the Top 30 (2016)
In 2016, João became the first Portuguese player to be seeded at the 2016 Australian Open. He reached the third round for the second year in a row.
In April, João reached his first Masters 1000 quarterfinals. This was at the Mutua Madrid Open. He lost to Rafael Nadal. At Wimbledon, he reached the third round. This was his best result at Wimbledon. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he won his first match. He then lost to the silver medalist Juan Martín del Potro.
Finals and Grand Slam Success (2017-2019)
João started 2017 by reaching the final of the Auckland Open. He lost in three sets. This result helped him re-enter the Top 40. He reached another final at the Generali Open Kitzbühel.
In 2018, João made history at the Estoril Open. He became the first Portuguese player to win his home title. He also reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the 2018 US Open. He lost to the eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
In 2019, he reached the fourth round at Wimbledon. This was his best result at this Major. He lost to Rafael Nadal.
Later Career and Retirement (2020-2024)
In 2020 and 2021, João's performance dipped. His ranking fell outside the top 100 for the first time since 2013. In the 2020 Davis Cup, he won his 200th career match.
In 2022, João had a great comeback. He won his fourth career singles title in Pune. This was his first title since 2018. He returned to the top 100. He also reached his second final of the season at the 2022 Geneva Open. He lost a very long match in the final. At the US Open, he reached the quarterfinals in doubles.
In February 2024, João Sousa announced his retirement from professional tennis. His final tournament was the 2024 Estoril Open.
Playing Style
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João Sousa plays with his right hand. He uses a two-handed backhand. His game relies a lot on his serve and forehand. He has said his forehand is his favorite shot. He also prefers playing on clay courts.
João is known for showing his emotions on the court. He often talks to his coach or the umpire. Andy Murray described João as a tough opponent who never gives up. Novak Djokovic called him a "tough" and mentally strong player. He said João "takes the best out of the opponent."
Over the years, João's game became more aggressive and consistent. He improved on different court surfaces. He won his first Challenger title on hard courts. He also had good results on grass courts. He eventually won his home tournament, the 2018 Estoril Open, on clay.
Equipment and Sponsors
Since October 2013, João Sousa has been represented by Polaris Sports. This company also manages other famous Portuguese athletes. João uses a Wilson racquet. He has been sponsored by Lotto Sport Italia and later by Joma for his clothing and shoes.
In May 2015, João partnered with Gold Nutrition, a sports supplements company. He also had sponsorship deals with Portuguese banks like BES and Millennium BCP.
Earlier in his career, João mentioned it was hard to find local sponsors. He also talked about the financial challenges of the Portuguese Tennis Federation. His parents and bank loans mainly supported his early career expenses.
Awards
- 2013 – CDP Portuguese Tennis Personality of the Year
- 2014 – CNID Portuguese Athlete of the Year
- 2015 – CDP Portuguese Tennis Personality of the Year
See also
In Spanish: João Sousa para niños
