Tennis instructor Júlio César dos Santos Rocha dies after rare disease diagnosis

Tennis instructor Júlio César dos Santos Rocha, known as Cesinha, has died at the age of 46 following complications from a rare autoimmune disease.

His health declined during a trip to Paris to attend the Roland Garros tournament in late May. Shortly after arrival, he was diagnosed with dermatomyositis, a condition that causes inflammation in the skin and muscles and can impact organs such as the lungs. The illness was complicated by pneumocystosis, leading to severe respiratory issues.

After months of hospitalization in France, his family secured a court order to compel his insurance provider to cover the costs of his medical repatriation to Brazil. He arrived in São Paulo on July 21 and was treated at the Instituto do Coração (InCor) under the care of Dr. Ludhmila Hajjar. He remained hospitalized until his death on August 8.