Joao Fonseca Stuns Andrey Rublev in Australian Open Debut

Joao Fonseca, 18, made a stunning Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open by defeating ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the first round. Fonseca secured the biggest upset of the tournament with a 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) victory. The Brazilian had previously qualified for the main draw without losing a set, and his win extends his impressive 14-match winning streak. Fonseca, ranked 730th at the start of 2024, has surged into the top 150, thanks to standout performances including reaching the quarterfinals in Rio de Janeiro and Bucharest.

His breakthrough came in December when he won the Next Gen ATP Finals an event for the best male players under 21. The teenager, convinced by world number one Jannik Sinner to turn professional, demonstrated his potential by overwhelming Rublev with his powerful forehand, hitting 51 winners to Rublev’s 33. Fonseca became just the second teenager since 1973 to defeat a top-10 player in their Grand Slam debut after Mario Ancic’s victory over Roger Federer in 2002.

Reflecting on his idol, Federer, Joao Fonseca shared, “Talent is not enough without hard work,” echoing the Swiss legend’s words. Next, Fonseca will face Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the second round. With heightened expectations after his win, Fonseca expressed his champion mentality, saying, “I want more and more.” For Rublev, the loss marked his earliest Australian Open exit since 2019. Despite his frustrations which led to a racquet smash during the third-set tie-break, Rublev showed sportsmanship by congratulating Fonseca warmly at the net.