Tuesday January 14, João Fonseca triumphed over Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open. The Brazilian completely dominated the Russian, currently ranked ninth in the world, in three sets, with scores of 7-6, 6-3, and 7-6. This victory galvanized the Brazilian public and revived the hope of tennis fans in the country.
The 18-year-old Carioca has several interesting sides, both on and off the field. He is the first in his family to become involved in tennis, contrasting with the Meligeni ‘clan’. However, her passion for sports is rooted in her family background: her mother is a top volleyball athlete at the Banco do Brasil Sports Association (AABB-RJ), her father enjoys kitesurfing and cycling during his time free, and his siblings are passionate about surfing and other water sports.
In his soon-to-be limited free time, João enjoys spending time with friends and family and being surrounded by nature, especially near beaches and waterfalls. The young gambler loves playing cards with his grandfather and has a penchant for açaí for breakfast. His musical taste leans towards rap, with Matuê as his favorite artist.
João Fonseca’s tennis idol is none other than Roger Federer. In fact, the Carioca has never hidden his desire to one day share the court with the Swiss legend, who retired from official tournaments in 2022. Among his other dreams, the tennis player aspires to attend a Formula 1 race up close. In football, his heart belongs to Flamengo.
“I mean, not bad at all,” João said, drawing laughter from the audience. “I just enjoyed every moment of playing in a huge stadium, my first Grand Slam; I just had a blast playing. And I want to thank this incredible crowd, so many Brazilians here to support me. I really want to enjoy this moment; thank you very much!”
Additionally, João shared his secret to facing a player like Rublev, who reached 5th position and won 16 titles in his career. “I was just focusing on my game, trying to take the pressure off myself against a top 10 player, with a huge crowd, calling for their (the Brazilians in the audience) support. I was just enjoying it,” confessed João.
