Joao Fonseca will play his first-ever Wimbledon match on Tuesday, as he faces Jacob Fearnley in the first round.
A tough draw for the in-form Brazilian, many will rush to watch his showdown with the hometown hero given that fireworks will be guaranteed.
It also gives the 18-year-old the perfect platform to potentially start a solid run at the All-England Club with an early scalp, just as he did in Melbourne.
Previewing his meeting with Jacob Fearnley, Joao Fonseca also sought to predict just how the Wimbledon crowd will fare when challenged by the horde of passionate Brazilians who follow this teenager wherever he plays.
Joao Fonseca previews his Wimbledon round one match vs Jacob Fearnley
Naturally, there was a strong British presence inside Fonseca’s media room, keen to see how the Brazilian rated his chances of overcoming one of the home favourites.
And, asked how that home support might compete with the exuberant, relentless Brazilian following he tends to bring with him wherever he goes, the teenage sensation admitted: ‘‘I mean, it’s difficult to be as loud as the Brazilians!
‘But yeah, hopefully there’s gonna be some Brazilians waking up and cheering for me, but first, it’s gonna be a good match.
‘Jacob is a nice friend and a nice player and we’re gonna be on court one so it’s going to be a dream playing my first match here in Wimbledon.
‘Yeah, like I said, every week for me has been an experience and I’m just enjoying every week. There are a lot of first tries for me, first times for me. So, yeah, I’m just gonna enjoy it a lot.’
Fonseca practised with Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon this weekend, and the Spaniard had plenty of praise to offer afterwards.
Joao Fonseca is well-supported wherever he goes
It’s actually crazy to think that, at just 18 years old, Fonseca is already followed heartily at any tournament he attends.
He commands such a strong support not only because of the passionate nation he is from, but also because they recognise what a top talent they have on their hands.
At the French Open, as he faced Pierre-Hugues Herbert in just the second round, he and many of his compatriots actually managed to compete with the rowdy home atmosphere conjured up by the French supporting their French player.
To outmatch them marks an outstanding feat, and it’s expected that the Brazilians will once again travel in numbers to support Fonseca at Wimbledon too.
If he actually starts to reach the latter stages of these elite events, it’s frightening to imagine just how well-supported he could be.
