João Fonseca's Australian Open first-round win over Andrey Rublev shows why he's a star of the future

Any casual tennis fan who kept an eye on João Fonseca's Australian Open first-round match could have been forgiven for thinking they were watching a seasoned pro.

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OK, Fonseca's youthful looks and exuberant disposition on the court were a dead giveaway the Brazilian is still in his teens.

But the clinical manner in which the 18-year-old dispensed of world number nine Andrey Rublev in straights sets suggested he already sat among the established stars of the games.

Fonseca isn't there just yet, but his progress during 2024 suggested he will be a contender at the majors in the years to come.

Last month — when ranked 145 in the world — he announced himself on the international stage by winning the Next Gen ATP Finals, an event featuring the world's top male players aged 20 or under.

Fonseca showed he is a future star with his victory at the Next Gen ATP Finals. (Getty Images: Francois Nel)

On Tuesday night, the 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over Rublev on Margaret Court Arena saw Fonseca achieve some 'firsts' in his young career.

It was not only his maiden win over a top-10 player but it came in his debut at a grand slam tournament.

"Everything was new for me … I was not the favourite," Fonseca told his media conference at Melbourne Park.

"I was trying to enter the court [by thinking], 'OK, I'm an 18-year-old guy, he's a top-10 guy. I'm going to do my best here'.

"Of course, I'm confident. I know I can win, but [there was] no pressure on myself. That's what I was trying to do."

Fonseca's expectations 'are bigger now'

Fonseca's confidence should not be mistaken for brashness, as it's simply an indication of his ambition.

His motivation to do well at Melbourne Park was sharpened by the fact he had to come through three rounds of qualifying to earn his spot in the main draw.

A fortnight ago, Fonseca was grinding away on the second-tier Challenger circuit in Canberra, winning the tournament without dropping a set.

Fonseca is already among the fan favourites at Melbourne Park. (Getty Images: Hannah Peters)

A second-round victory over Italian Lorenzo Sonego would ensure a significant rankings boost from his current standing of 112, but Fonseca doesn't want to stop there.

"I think when I arrived here, my first goal was to qualify for the main draw," he said.

"Of course, my expectations are bigger now. I want more and more.

"Of course, I'm very happy with the way that I played today with the win, but I already think about the next match.

"It's going to be a good one against a very great player. I want more and more.

"I think that's the mentality of the champion. So, I'm just trying to think about the next match."

Not surprisingly, one of the former players Fonseca's idolised was Brazil's three-time French Open champion, Gustavo Kuerten.

Roger Federer was another of Fonseca's role models, although he admits the Swiss great's signature one-handed backhand was not to his liking.

"I grew up watching Roger," he said.

"Of course, I think everyone wanted to play like him. But I even tried, when I was younger, the one-handed (backhand).

"I tried for one week, and then I have something in my elbow, and then I said, 'I'm going to go two-handed again."

Fonseca's Australian Open campaign continues against Sonego on Thursday.

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