Novak Djokovic spoke highly of tennis wonderkid Joao Fonseca at the Australian Open.
The Brazilian hit the headlines after he dispatched Andrey Rublev in straight sets to win the first main draw Grand Slam match of his career.
Fonesca, 18, became just the second teenager since 1973 to defeat a top 10 player in their very first main draw match at a major.
The qualifier has certainly caught the attention of those in the tennis world, including one of its greatest ever, Novak Djokovic.
What did Novak Djokovic say about Joao Fonseca at the Australian Open?
Joao Fonseca put the rest of the Australian Open field on notice when he defeated Rublev 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-6(5) to reach round two.
His effortless power off both the forehand and backhand earned him 51 winners as Rublev had no answer for his opponent’s sustained brilliance.
Fonseca was roared on by plenty of Brazilian fans in the crowd and they will certainly be in his corner once again when he takes on Lorenzo Sonego in round two.
Fonseca has also received backing and support from Djokovic, who praised his game and told reporters what happened when he met Fonseca for the first time.
“I just met him for the first time, like, literally five minutes before I came into the room,” Djokovic revealed. “I congratulated him not only on the win last night that I’ve seen, the last set I’ve seen, but also everything he has been doing the last six to 12 months.
“I’ve been following his rise, and I just love how he plays the big points. Courageous, very clean hitter, all-around player. I’ve been a fan of his game. I’ve been watching him also last year.
“I think in one of my interviews for ATP I was saying I see some of my game there in his game, particularly when I was his age when you’re kind of carelessly going for the shots, just showing what you’re capable of.
“I mean, he’s got the goods definitely. He showed that last night on a big stage to go very far. Future is bright for him, no doubt, if he keeps going this way.”
Joao Fonseca shares insight into his mindset after winning Australian Open debut
Fonseca produced some electrifying tennis in front of a packed crown inside Margaret Court Arena on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old looked completely comfortable in what were very unfamiliar surroundings as he emphatically beat one of the world’s top players in his first match in the main draw of a Grand Slam.
The ATP Next Gen Finals winner offered an insight into his mindset as aims to achieve plenty within the game of tennis with what appears to be a long career ahead of him.
“When I arrived here, my first goal was to qualify for the main draw. Of course, my expectations are bigger now,” he said. “I want more and more. I think that’s the mentality of a champion
“I’m very happy with the way 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.”
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