The 2025 Australian Open is now just three days away, as the best players on the ATP Tour are gearing up for the year’s first Grand Slam tournament.
A new year brings new opportunities to the stars of the ATP Tour, as they look to get their hands on a Major trophy.
Jannik Sinner won last year’s Australian Open, as he beat Daniil Medvedev in five sets, having trailed by two sets to love.
Before him, it was Novak Djokovic who won in 2023, as he took his Australian Open tally to ten, a record that may well never be broken.
Sinner and Djokovic will no doubt love to add another Australian Open title to their collection but will face stiff opposition from the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, who are both looking for a maiden title down under.
Another star who would love to win in Australia is Andrey Rublev, who has reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne on three occasions, although a tough draw has left many fans predicting an early exit for the Russian.
Tennis fans predict Andrey Rublev will lose to 18-year-old qualifier Joao Fonseca in the Australian Open first round
Rublev reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in 2024 and may have been backed to do so again in 2025 before he was handed perhaps the toughest first-round draw possible.
Rublev will play Brazilian qualifier Joao Fonseca, who has burst onto the scene over the past few months, winning the Next Gen ATP Finals, and the Canberra Challenger event.
Several fans have taken to social media to react to the exciting first-round matchup.
“Qualifiers have been placed, Andrey Rublev v Joao Fonseca,” they said.
“I love it!”
Another fan was looking forward to the match, but suggested that the Russian star may not have been best pleased after being drawn against Fonseca.
“Blockbuster round one,” they said.
“Andrey Rublev v Joao Fonseca.
“Rublev after seeing the qualifiers placed this morning.”
Plenty of other fans gave their predictions for the contest, with the consensus backing the 18-year-old Brazilian.
“I actually think the kid has a decent chance to take it,” said one fan on X.
“Rublev is not in a good moment, Fonseca is playing unbelievably for his age.
“It’s a big scalp potentially, top ten player.”
“Rublev losing to Fonseca is already a reality,” said another.
“I’m going with Fonseca, he’s been on fire lately,” said one fan.
Two fans made some very bold, and perhaps slightly premature predictions for the youngster, following his main draw qualification.
“Joao Fonseca to [the] semi-finals,” said one fan.
“Joao Fonseca is winning the 2025 Australian Open men’s singles,” said another.
Everything you need to know about Brazilian tennis wonderkid Joao Fonseca
Fonseca may not be a household name yet, but if he can fullfill his very evident potential, then it won’t be too long until he is.
At the end of 2024, Fonseca won the Next Gen ATP Finals, going undefeated as the eighth seed, a feat that was last achieved by Sinner in 2019.
Sinner had convinced Fonseca to turn pro at the end of the 2023 season, a decision that paid off in a big way for the Brazilian.
But what else do you need to know about the youngster, and is he really going to pose a threat to Rublev?
- 18 years old
- World number 113
- Brazilian
- 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals champion
- Beat top 20 star Arthur Fils at the Rio ATP 500 event in 2024
- 2-1 record at the Davis Cup
Fonseca enjoyed his first breakout week at the Rio Open last year, as he reached the quarter finals with several huge performances.
Perhaps the most impressive of which came against Frenchman Arthur Fils, as he beat the now top-20 star in straight sets to secure his first ATP win.
The teenager is yet to secure his first top-ten win, however, and will need to do so against Rublev, if he wants to advance to his first Grand Slam second round.
Fonseca will take on Rublev in the first round of the 2025 Australian Open on January 13.
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