Joao Fonseca rockets to sixth in Australian Open title betting after maiden Grand Slam victory

Tennis’ new overnight sensation — Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca — has gone from an unbackable unknown to a genuine contender for the Australian Open title.

A country crying out for a tennis hero might have just found one in Brazilian wunderkind Joao Fonseca.

The 18-year-old from Rio de Janeiro shocked the world with his straight sets upset over ninth seed Andrey Rublev on Tuesday night, in what was his maiden grand slam main draw appearance.

But anyone who had closely followed the career of the brash Brazilian will tell you they saw this coming from a mile away.

Last month Fonseca joined elite company when he won the ATP Next Gen Finals in Riyadh.

An off-Broadway tournament overshadowed by the glitz and glamour of the ATP Finals, Fonseca quietly followed in the footsteps of Stefanos Tsitsipas (2018), Jannik Sinner (2019) and Carlos Alcaraz (2021) to clinch the title and underline his credentials as tennis’ next big thing.

And just like Sinner and Alcaraz – now world No. 1 and 3 respectively – Fonseca is in a hurry to be great.

“Next Gen gave me confidence – I mean, I’m playing great tennis, so I need to enjoy this moment to play my best,” Fonseca said in the aftermath of his upset.

“I’m playing good so I’m feeling confident.

Brazil's Joao Fonseca celebrates beating Russia's Andrey Rublev.

“The difference between the top players (is) consistency and I’m trying to improve my consistency. I have a good strike now at the end of last year and the beginning of this one so (I want to) try to stay like this.”

With his run to the Australian Open second round he has already cracked the ATP top-100 in the live rankings.

But after his clinical dismantling of world No. 9 Rublev – the only man to defeat both Sinner and Alcaraz last year – the No. 98 next to his name feels very much like a placeholder.

“I knew the pressure was coming – everything was new for me, but for me, I was not the favourite,” Fonseca said.

“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 no pressure on myself.

“But of course, when I was two sets to love (up), I was thinking a little bit more, ‘OK, maybe I’m going to win this match’.

“Yeah the nerves of course came, but I mentally stayed (strong).”

Amongst Fonseca’s fierce arsenal of shots is a forehand that will soon be the envy of almost every player on tour.

Rublev learned the hard way when the Brazilian rifled a 181kph bullet past his outstretched arm early in the third set to consolidate the break of serve.

It was the fastest winner of the tournament so far and from the racquet of an 18-year-old no less.

This is going so fast ⚡️

2022 Roland-Garros Junior Series champion Joao Fonseca records his first-ever Grand Slam match win at the #AusOpen 2025! pic.twitter.com/O0g4tqb9fj

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) January 14, 2025

Back in November 2023, a young Brazilian named Joao Fonseca was a hitting partner at the #NittoATPFinals.

We sat down with him to understand his story 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/3f9b5m2jzI

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 14, 2025

He grew up idolising Roger Federer and even the 20-time grand slam champion would have been impressed by a forehand of that magnitude.

“My idol was always Roger, I grew up watching Roger and of course I think everyone wanted to play like him,” said Fonseca, who was born after Federer had already won seven major titles.

“I even tried, when I was younger, the one-handed (backhand). I tried for like, one week, and then I have something in my elbow … ‘I’m going to go two-handed again’.

“But yeah he is an idol for me. He inspires me.”

The response to Fonseca’s victory was swift.

In a matter of minutes the Brazilian went from unbackable by the bookies to the sixth — yes, sixth — betting favourite to win the Australian Open.

Those ready to put money where their mouth is believe the teenager is now more likely to claim the title than Alex de Minaur or world No. 4 Taylor Fritz.

Next in his path is Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who downed 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in four sets on Tuesday.

“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,” Fonseca said.

“I’m very happy with the way I played to get the win, but I already think about the next match.

“Yeah, I want more and more. I think that’s the mentality of the champion.”

First there was Roger and Rafa. Then along came Novak Djokovic.

Now we have Jannik and Carlos. Could Joao be the man to complete tennis’ new triumvirate?

Watch this space.

Originally published as Joao Fonseca rockets to sixth in Australian Open title betting after maiden Grand Slam victory