Rising star Joao Fonseca knocks ninth seed Andrey Rublev out of Australian Open
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Teenage sensation Joao Fonseca announced himself on the big stage by knocking out ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open. The 18-year-old Brazilian is the hottest young property in men’s tennis after winning the Next Gen ATP Finals for the best players aged 21 and under last month and then qualifying for the main draw of a grand slam for the first time here.
Given a prominent draw against a player who has made the quarter-finals in three out of the last four years, Fonseca rose to the occasion superbly to claim a 7-6 (1) 6-3 7-6 (5) victory. Daniil Medvedev smashed a net camera in an angry outburst during a five-set win over lowly-ranked wild card Kasidit Samrej.
Medvedev, 28, reached the final for the third time at Melbourne Park 12 months ago but arrived late in Australia following the birth of his second child and was in deep trouble against 418th-ranked Thai Samrej. When the 23-year-old won the third set to go two sets to one up, fifth seed Medvedev repeatedly smacked his racket against the middle of the net, destroying a camera attached there.
But, like American teenager Nishesh Basavareddy, who led Novak Djokovic on Monday, Samrej began to struggle physically and Medvedev fought back to win 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-2. “I know I play better when I play more tennis,” the Russian said with a rueful smile. “Why play one hour 30? Minimum three hours.
