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Carlos Alcaraz lauds 'unbelievable', 'incredible' Joao Fonseca - 'Someone I have to be careful of' at Australian Open

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Carlos Alcaraz has heaped praise on 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca after the teenager stunned Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open. Fonseca came through the ninth seed in straight sets on Margaret Court Arena, and he will face Lorenzo Sonego in round two. Alcaraz progressed into the third round on Wednesday, beating Yoshihito Nishioka comfortably 6-0 6-1 6-4.

Alcaraz powers past Nishioka with consummate ease - Australian Open highlights

Video credit: TNT Sports

Carlos Alcaraz has hailed Joao Fonseca as "unbelievable" and "incredible" in the wake of the teenager shocking Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open.

The Brazilian, just 18 and playing at his first-ever Grand Slam, produced an exceptional performance to dump out the ninth seed at Melbourne Park, earning a straight-sets victory on Margaret Court Arena.

He came through 7-6(1) 6-1 7-6(5) against the Russian to record the biggest win of his nascent career so far, and he faces Italian Lorenzo Sonego in round two.

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Fonseca's performance wowed Eurosport pundits Barbara Schett and Tim Henman, who both tipped the teenager for stardom, while one of the sport's biggest stars cast an eye on his brilliance.

Alcaraz, the third seed in Melbourne, was asked about Fonseca in his post-match press conference after he had beaten Yoshihito Nishioka 6-0 6-1 6-4 to reach the third round on Wednesday.

The Spaniard, still one of tennis' brightest prodigies at 21 years old, said that Fonseca was "someone I have to be careful of", as he predicted big things for the Brazilian in the future.

"I saw it, I saw a little bit," Alcaraz said of the Fonseca-Rublev match. "I couldn't watch the whole match. I saw a little bit at the beginning and the end of the match. What can I say about it? Just incredible.

"The way he played his first Grand Slam match against his first top-10 opponent, it's unbelievable. The way he approached the match, the way he handled everything, the nerves, the match in general, it's been fantastic.

"It's someone that I have to be careful of, let's say. I have to see him. He's going to be there. It is just the beginning of the year, just one win in a Grand Slam, but he's going to be there. We're going to put Joao Fonseca's name on the list of the best players in the world really soon."

The four-time Grand Slam winner is bidding to complete his career Grand Slam in Melbourne, with the Australian Open the only major title that still eludes him.

The reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion sailed through without issue against Nishioka on Margaret Court Arena, wrapping up the contest in one hour and 22 minutes, and thundering down 14 aces in a stellar serving performance.

He bagelled the Japanese player straight out of the blocks in an extremely one-sided first set, and he continued that momentum into the second, breaking Nishioka immediately to go up 2-0.

He secured the double break at 5-1, before serving out the set to love and having one foot in round three.

Nishioka put up more of a fight in the third set, but his efforts would go in vain as Alcaraz finally found the elusive break at 3-2, converting at the second time of asking, before closing out the affair with aplomb.

'Massive star of the future' Fonseca 'will be top 10 for sure'

Video credit: TNT Sports

"I think I played a really solid, solid match today," Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.

"I improved the things that I had to improve from the first match. I'm just really, really happy with everything today. A really good win, important win for me. Three straight sets at a really high level. Hopefully it will continue like this."

The Spaniard's serving drew particular attention, and Alcaraz noted that it had been something he had been working hard at on the practice court with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"Yesterday I was really focused on my serve in practice," he said.

"I talked with Juan Carlos about what I had to do today on the serve, what I did wrong, what I did great from the first match serving. I just had to improve a little bit. I felt more comfortable on it. I think the serve's about confidence and feelings.

"Today I felt great. The throw of the ball was great today, which helps a lot. I think yesterday's practice was really helpful for today."

'I CALLED IT' - GAUFF ON THE FONSECA TRAIN 'SINCE EARLY'

It's not just in the men's draw that Fonseca has attracted admirers, as women's third seed Coco Gauff revealed that she had predicted the Brazilian to beat Rublev in his first round match.

The American said that she "wasn't surprised" by the shock result, and mentioned that he had come up on her radar when he won the US Open junior title in 2023, the same year Gauff won the senior women's tournament.

"I first knew of Fonseca two years ago when I won US Open," she explained.

"He won Junior US Open. I took a picture of him. That's when I was like, Who is this kid? He won Junior US Open at 16. He has to be good.

"So I started following his career from there, his challengers, obviously still leading up to that, and then Next Gen. I've been on the Fonseca train since early.

"I wasn't surprised by the result. I didn't watch it because I think it was later, like, in the evening. I wasn't surprised. I kind of called it. I said that he was going to beat Rublev. I didn't think it was going to be straight sets. I thought it was going to be four.

"He's good. I don't know him at all personally. I've just been a fan of him for at least a year and a half, two years. It's great to see him on the biggest stage performing well. Hopefully he'll stay in his lane, not listen to the hype and enjoy it. He seems like a great personality, too."

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