Joao Fonseca Upsets Andrey Rublev in Grand Slam Debut

Joao Fonseca defeated Andrey Rublev in straight sets at the Australian Open.
Joao Fonseca of Brazil celebrates during Round 1 of the 2025 Australian Open on January 14 2025, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.
Joao Fonseca of Brazil celebrates during Round 1 of the 2025 Australian Open on January 14 2025, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

One of the most hyped young players in men's tennis has officially arrived. After picking up three consecutive wins to qualify for the Australian Open, Joao Fonseca upset Andrey Rublev in the first round.

Fonseca entered the match as the ATP World No. 112 and the heavy underdog. However, tennis fans have watched the 18-year-old closely since his meteoric rise last year, capped off with a title at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals.

In his first-ever Grand Slam match, Fonseca defeated World No. 9 Andrey Rublev in straight sets: 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-6(5). The match was evenly contested, but Fonseca was dominant with his power and agility.

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

The Brazilian star said, "It's going to be a good one against a very great player. Yeah, want more and more. I think that's the mentality of the champion. So I'm just trying to think about the next match."

Fonseca will face Lorenzo Sonego in the second round on January 15. All eyes will remain on Fonseca to see how far this promising young player can go in his first Grand Slam.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.