Rising star Joao Fonseca knocks ninth seed Andrey Rublev out of Australian Open
The 18-year-old claimed a 7-6 (1) 6-3 7-6 (5) victory on his grand slam debut.
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.
“Second and third set, I couldn’t touch the ball. Full power, everything in. I didn’t know what to do. If he plays like this every match, his life can be good. Money, girls, casino.”
Samrej earned his wild card by winning the Asia-Pacific Wild Card Play-off, while he warmed up for his grand slam debut by training with Djokovic in Thailand last month.
Medvedev struggled during the second half of last season but he hopes the newest member of his family will help inspire a change in fortunes.
“It only gives me good energy,” he said.
“In the end of last year, this match, I probably would have lost it. New year, new energy, at least for now. I’m happy to have won this match.”
Holger Rune also needed five sets to make it past China’s Zhang Zhizhen while another match that went the distance saw veteran Gael Monfils win the battle of the Frenchmen against his young compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Like Fonseca, 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard is one of the top prospects on tour and he sent down by some distance the fastest serve of the tournament so far at 144.2 miles per hour but 38-year-old Monfils, who became the oldest winner of an ATP Tour singles title in Auckland at the weekend, triumphed 7-6 (7) 6-3 6-7 (6) 6-7 (5) 6-4.
“I don’t really look up my age,” Monfils said. “It is just a number. Then I try to avoid to think about it, but I can tell you that tomorrow morning I will be more 48 than 38.”
Fourth seed Taylor Fritz had a much easier time of it, breezing past fellow American Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-0 6-3, while home hero Alex De Minaur defeated Botic van de Zandschulp 6-1 7-5 6-4.
Dutchman Van de Zandschulp may well have hit the shot of the tournament, though, with a through-the-legs winner that left De Minaur applauding.
