Brazilian tennis prodigy Joao Fonseca, one of the breakout stars of the 2025 Australian Open, has revealed who inspired him to take up the sport.

Joao Fonseca delivered what he described as a 'rude' response to Novak Djokovic 's comments after becoming the breakthrough star of the Australian Open. Fonseca delivered a sensational display to stun Andrey Rublev in straight sets, beating the world No. 9 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-6 (5) in the opening round on Tuesday.

The Australian Open, one of tennis’ grandest stages, often serves as the launch pad for future stars. Though Joao Fonseca, a promising young talent, bowed out early in this year’s tournament, his performance and potential have sparked significant interest among fans and analysts alike.

Fonseca has long looked like a star-in-waiting. Under pressure in his first Grand Slam set, he delivered beyond those lofty expectations

The 18-year-old produced a stunning first-round victory over world number nine Andrey Rublev in the first round in Melbourne before losing in five sets to Lorenzo Sonego at the next stage

The tennis community raised their eyebrows after watching 18-year-old Brazilian star Joao Fonseca in his first Australian Open. The younger qualifier upset Andrey Rublev, the ninth-ranked player globally,