João Fonseca, the 18-year-old Brazilian tennis prodigy, made headlines with his stunning upset over No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open. Ranked 112th, Fonseca entered the main draw after winning three qualifying matches and has now extended his unbeaten run to 14 matches. His victory over Rublev, who has reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne three of the past four years, was a remarkable achievement.
Fonseca’s performance was characterized by his powerful serves, reaching speeds of up to 133 mph, and his ability to hit 51 winners, 18 more than Rublev. He also saved five of the six break points he faced, showcasing his mental toughness and composure under pressure. The match, which lasted just under 2 1/2 hours, saw Fonseca raise his game in crucial moments, particularly in the tiebreakers.
Reflecting on his victory, Fonseca expressed his gratitude for the support from the crowd, many of whom were waving the Brazilian flag. “I just enjoyed every moment in this court, this amazing court,” he said. “My first time playing in a huge stadium.” He credited his success to focusing on his game and not putting pressure on himself.
Fonseca’s next challenge will be against 55th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego, who also advanced to the second round after defeating three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka. With his recent performances, Fonseca is rapidly climbing the rankings and is closing in on his Top 100 debut.
Fonseca’s journey in the Australian Open is a testament to his hard work and dedication, proving that talent alone is not enough, as he aptly quoted Roger Federer: “Talent is not enough.” His impressive display has certainly put him on the radar as a rising star in men’s tennis.
Fonseca at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2025
Currently ranked no.112 (career-high), the Brazilian has achieved an overall 9-0 match record in 2025. Joao is playing at the Australian Open where he bested the world no.134 Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4 6-0
, the world no.171 Chak Lam Coleman Wong 6-0 6-3, the world no.116 Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-4 6-1 and the world no.9 Andrey Rublev 7-6(1) 6-3 7-6(5).Joao Fonseca will face the world no.55 Lorenzo Sonego in the 2nd round. The head to head is 1-0 for Fonseca.
The Brazilian clinched 1 title in 2025 in the Canberra Challenger.
Andrey Rublev in 2025
Now the world no.9, the Russian played his last match on the 14th of January when he capitulated to world no.112 Joao Fonseca 7-6(1) 6-3 7-6(5) in the 1st round of the Australian Open (draw).
Until now, during this year the Russian achieved a compiled 0-2 win-loss record.
He is also scheduled to play in Rotterdam (ABN AMRO Open) on the 3rd of February and () on the 30th of December.
Joao Fonseca and Andrey Rublev squared off only 1 time. Their actual record is 1-0 for Fonseca.