Joao Fonseca's impressive campaign at the Australian Open may be over, but it's just the beginning for the teenage talent.
The 18-year-old Brazilian qualifier made his Grand Slam debut and was remembered by beating world No.9 Andrei Rublev in straight sets in the opening round.
Fonseca then faced Lorenzo Sonego for the first time in a three-and-a-half-hour match, testing his ability to play a full five sets. Despite the defeat, the ATP Young Talent Finals champion is still alive as he looks ahead to his future on the tour.
Fonseca Says:
"It's my dream to play on the tour, to play on a tour that really has the top 50 players in the world. Masters, ATP 500, ATP 250. I hope to make a living from it. ”
The young Fonseca is only just crossing the ATP Tour-level threshold. His ATP instant ranking reached No. 98, making him a top 100 player for the first time.
"I'm excited to be in the top 100 in the world, to play in big tournaments, to have my place on this stage and to keep trying to get to the next level and move up the rankings. I think, for me, anything is possible. You need to put in more and more effort to achieve your dream of becoming the number one in the world. ”
Fonseca entered Melbourne's second round with a 14-match winning streak at all levels. After his victory over No.9 seed Rublev, few doubt that you will beat Sonego and go further. However, the Brazilian also acknowledged the importance of the bout, as well as the gap in experience between him and world No. 55 Sonego.
Fonseca said of Sonego:
"I feel like Lorenzo's experience played a bigger role today. Prior to this matchup, Sonego had played eight five-set matchups. That was one of the key factors in his victory today. He has more experience in this type of competition.
"I need to gain more experience in this area. I need to work harder, stay mentally focused throughout the game and be ready for that. ”
Fonseca's recent sparkling form has raised expectations for his potential, and he has garnered plenty of support in both games at Melbourne Park. Despite his young age, Fonseca realizes the importance of managing tension and adapting to the playing situation. This aspect will naturally improve over time.
Fonseca Says:
"I was in the aftermath of the big battle with Rublev, and the expectations were even higher. People talk more about João. My own expectations are higher. I was more nervous than I was against Rublev. I've won Sonego before (2024 Tiriac Open). To be honest, I was a little nervous.
"I think experience was the big difference today."
An 18-year-old young player can soberly analyze the pros and cons after defeat, which shows that he is mentally mature. The five-set battle is indeed a threshold to test young players. In the just-concluded third round match between Mencik and Fokina, Mencik once again lost in a five-set battle. After winning two sets in a row, he failed to win the third set on serve before being ruthlessly reversed by Fokina.
Although Fonseca won only one victory at the Australian Open, he impressed with his youthful and unbridled style of play. He is very skilled in all aspects of his skills. However, his attacking style of play is even more impressive. He can cover the whole court and score winning points from all angles.
Fonseca's serve is better compared to Alcaraz. Compared to Sinner, he was more aggressive in attack. Moreover, his youthful and beautiful appearance gained a large number of fans as soon as he appeared on the stage and won the love of fans. Not to mention the fans in Brazil! I realized that it was a wave of people who were even crazier than our Chinese fans.
Prior to the match against Sonego, Fonseca had won 14 in a row:
Prior to the Australian Open, he had won five straight matches at the Canberra Challenger level.
Before advancing to the main draw of the Australian Open, he went through three rounds of qualifying rounds and successfully broke through. Three qualifiers without dropping a set.
In December last year, he won five consecutive games in the New Generation Year-end Finals and won the championship with a complete victory.
There is no doubt that Fonseca entered the fans' eyes with a spectacular victory and made it to the top 100 of the ATP rankings. At present, he has aroused great interest and attention from professionals from all walks of life in the tennis world!
Hopefully, Fonseca will make even more progress in the 2025 season.
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