MELBOURNE, Australia — On a captivating Tuesday night, João Fonseca emerged as the latest teenage prodigy in men’s tennis, delivering a stunning upset over No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev with a score of 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-6 (5) in the opening round of the Australian Open.
This spectacular debut marks the first time the 18-year-old Brazilian, currently ranked 112th, has made his mark in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament, having secured his spot in Melbourne Park by triumphing in three qualifying matches last week.
The match against the seasoned Rublev, a ten-time major quarterfinalist aged 27, stretched under 2.5 hours, elevating Fonseca’s remarkable unbeaten streak to 14 matches. This includes his recent title victory at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Saudi Arabia and another win at a Challenger tournament in Canberra just this month.
Having claimed the 2023 U.S. Open junior boys’ championship, Fonseca has captured the attention of the tennis community with his powerful serve, explosive groundstrokes, and composed demeanor. All of these attributes were brilliantly showcased against Rublev in the iconic Margaret Court Arena.
As he approached match point, a stunning backhand winner celebrated by pointing to the sky and nodding his head sent the crowd into a frenzy. He sealed the victory with an exhilarating down-the-line forehand that had him spreading his arms wide in pure joy.
“Not too shabby,” were Fonseca’s first words during the post-match interview.
This quip drew laughs and cheers from a supportive crowd waving the green-yellow-and-blue flag of Brazil.
“I thoroughly enjoyed every second on this incredible court, my first experience playing in such a massive stadium!” he said with enthusiasm, elongating the word “huge” for added effect.
With serves reaching speeds of 133 mph (214 kph), Fonseca unleashed 14 aces against only a single double fault, successfully defending five of six break points he faced.
He tallied a whopping 51 winners—18 more than Rublev, who has reached the Melbourne quarterfinals three times in the last four years and was Fonseca’s first adversary ranked above No. 20.
“I kept my focus on my game, avoiding pressure against a top-10 player,” Fonseca reflected. “I just played my game and now here we are in the second round!”
Next up for him is a clash against the 55th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego, who triumphed over three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in a four-set match earlier that day.
When asked about his strategy for excelling in crucial tiebreakers against the more experienced Rublev, Fonseca emphasized the importance of channeling “all the intensity during critical points,” encouraging himself to “take risks” and display “bravery.”
He also credited 20-time major champion Roger Federer as a source of inspiration.
“As Roger always says: ‘Talent alone isn’t enough.’ So, I’ve committed myself to hard work,” Fonseca added. “Only my team and I truly understand the effort I’ve put in.”