Joao Fonseca, who is the 18-year-old Brazilian phenomenon who challenges Sonego at the 2025 Australian Open

Melbourne, January 15, 2025 – It is the number 112 in the ATP rankings and to Australian Open he won his first match in a Slam. And yet he already has the eyes of all fans focused on him. Because Joao Fonseca, 18-year-old Brazilian, is considered the rising star of world tennis. The talent ready to compete at the top with Jannik Sinner e Carlos Alcaraz.

Super debut at the Australian Open

The debut in a Major was dazzling: Fonseca overwhelmed the Russian Andrey rublev, ninth seed, with a score of 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-6 (5). A show of strength – and also maturity – truly remarkable for a player of 18 years old, who is appearing on the stages that count for the first time.

Fonseca-Sonego in the second round

In the second round of the Australian Open – the match is scheduled Thursday 16 January 2025 at 6am Italian time, live on Eurosport 1 or Eurosport 2, streaming on Discovery+, Sky Go, Now and Dazn – Fonseca challenges the blue Lorenzo Sonego (number 55 in the world), victorious the other day against the Swiss Stan Wawrinka. The Turin native is called to show a perfect performance in front of the phenomenon of Rio de Janeiro.

Santopadre: “Joao is an impressive player”

Vincenzo Santopadre, former coach of Matteo Berrettini, who will give Sonego a hand this year, without following him directly in the tournaments, introduces the match: “He already played there last year and lost, but Lorenzo certainly doesn't start out defeated – his words to Adnkronos –. He will have to make his greater experience count, especially in a match three sets out of five. He will have to vary the game as much as possible and hope that Joao plays a little below the level he played with Rublev and maybe he can have some drops". On the other hand, added Santopadre, "Fonseca is a impressive player. I know him well, he played with him and trained with Luca Van Assche, a guy I follow. I read about comparisons with Jannik Sinner, he remembers him in power of the blows and in the speed of his movements but it is still too early to think that he can reach Jannik's level. It promises very well, but it has a long way to go. Another of its winning features is the personality with which he is on the field, combined with great humility and desire to improve".

Who is Joao Fonseca?

Joao Fonseca has won the title in his career US Open Juniors and the Next Gen Finals, in addition to two circuit tournaments challenger. The last one in Canberra just before the start of the Australian Open. Despite being 18 years old, he has a first serve that often settles around 220 kilometers per hour and a second one that jumps quite high, a sign of work already well underway on one of the most important fundamentals of contemporary tennis. Quick in the execution of forehand and backhand, he never gives the sensation of 'snatching' the shots. As a good Brazilian was born on the red earth, He likes to alternate deep shots with drop shots and backhand slices, but still lacking in strategy and this sometimes leads him to make some mistakes. At the net he doesn't seem like a phenomenon, but remembering the first Sinner it is reasonable to expect rapid improvements.