Brazil is experiencing the emergence of generational talent in “white sport”. Great hopes rest on Joao Fonseca, who aspires to quickly rise to the top and become the best tennis player in the world. At just 18 years old, his breakthrough onto the scene was nothing short of spectacular. In 2024, he made his debut on the South American clay court circuit and immediately impressed with a virtually unrivaled forehand.
In the post-Juan Martín del Potro and Carlos Alcaraz era, another player has revealed himself with a powerful forehand that is simply indefensible for his rivals.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Joao stands 1.85m tall and was once ranked world number one at junior level. Currently, he is positioned at 112th place in the ATP rankings.
This season started off with a bang for Fonseca. He won his first title at the NextGen Finals, edging out victory over slightly older competitors, and went on to claim a Challenger title as a prelude to qualifying for the Australian Open. He cruised through the first round of qualifying for the first Grand Slam of the season, preparing to face Andrey Rublev in the first round.
Facing a member of the top 10 represents a much greater challenge, but the Brazilian was able to meet this challenge brilliantly. Not only did he beat Rublev, but he dominated him in straight sets with scores of 7-6, 6-3 and 7-6.
During the night match played on the main court at Melbourne Park, Fonseca delivered several shots that left the fans and even his opponent stunned, with Rublev unable to understand the speed of the balls coming from him.
Joao Fonseca recorded a serve at an incredible speed of 181 km/h, the fastest for any player in the tournament so far. And keep in mind he’s only 18 years old.
“What I have accomplished is incredible. My first victory in a Grand Slam, my first victory against a Top 10 player, my first time competing in the main draw of a Grand Slam. It’s all new to me; I “I played a really good match, I’m very happy with myself, very proud of my tenacity and my mental focus in every game, every point,” commented the Brazilian tennis prodigy after his victory.
In the next round he will face the Italian Lorenzo Sonego and, given how things are going, it would not be surprising to see him continue his way to the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of his promising career.
