In an on-court interview, Fonseca had mentioned he did a training block in Rio de Janeiro before making his way down under.

The 18-year-old continued the run of match wins that carried him to the Next Gen title and found himself in the final against qualifier from the USA Ethan Quinn.

Both players were riding a decent winning streak. Quinn was coming off title success after winning the Champaign Challenger title in November. That took five matches and then Quinn navigated past qualifying and into the final, another six matches, an 11-game win streak.

Fonseca had won the Lexington Challenger title back in July 2024, and the Next Gen title in December. He went into the final with a 9-game winning streak.

Quinn was hit in the face in the 8th game after he lobbed Fonseca, but it didn’t go deep enough. Fonseca smashed and the ball deflected from Quinn’s racquet to his face. The American took some time to compose himself.

Serve dominated the early exchanges and went with serve until the ninth game when a deep forehand to Quinn forced an error when he hit wide. That gave Fonseca three break points.

A good body serve saw Fonseca hit wide to see one saved. On the next point, Quinn pulled a shot wide to concede the break.

Fonseca who had not faced a single break point stepped up and served out the set.

In the second set Quinn held comfortably to move to a 1-0 lead after hitting a forehand winner on game point.

The Brazilian followed that with a love service game.

A backhand second serve winner from Fonseca took the score to 15-30 and then a good deep backhand forced an error from Quinn to give Fonseca two break points in the third game.

Fonseca claimed the break when he sliced back the return deep to again see an error from Quinn who sent the ball well over the baseline.

Again the Brazilian was not trouble on serve, although back-to-back errors saw the score at 30-30 before an Ace gave Fonseca game point. A double-fault made it deuce.

That would be as close as Quinn would get to taking a game from his opponent after a deep shot went long on the return. A great high kicking serve saw Fonseca move to 3-1 after the American couldn’t find the court on the return.

At 15-0 in the fifth game Fonseca played a drop shot which Quinn easily reached and pushed high down the line. The Next Gen champion then closed on the net and pushed a volley straight back at Quinn who ducked under the ball when he could have easily stood his ground to volley.

Some good serving would see the 2023 NCAA singles champion hold to take the score to 3-2 with Fonseca next to serve.

At 40-15 Quinn was Aced and after the ball bounced back from the backstop he would grab the ball and then send it flying out the back of the court. A ball abuse warning followed.

Serving at 2-4 with new balls, Quinn looked to attack the net only to see the ball fly past him with a good passion shot from Fonseca. The former Georgia Bulldog was in trouble at 0-30 after he pulled a forehand wide.

A good wide serve could not be returned by Fonseca. A serve and volley got Quinn to 30-30 after he forced an error.

A forehand into the net from Quinn gave Fonseca another break point. Quinn would save that after making his way to the net again to force an error from his opponent.

Quinn would hold for 4-3 but not before saving another break point after a double-fault gave Fonseca another shot at breaking.

A 14 shot rally following with Fonseca hitting long to take it back to deuce. An Ace gave Quinn game point. Again some attacking tennis helped Quinn close out the game.

A forehand winner from Fonseca saw him move to just one game from the title.

A love service hold from Quinn forced to the Brazilian to serve for the championship.

Fonseca started with a wide Ace which he repeated on the Ad side. Fonseca found the side line to force an error from Quinn to bring up three championship points. One was wasted when Fonseca hit into the net, but that just delayed the inevitable two points.

Serving at 40-30, Fonseca hit the serve wide and then hit behind Quinn as he moved back to the centre of the court, the winner taking the championship for the Brazilian.

It would be the biggest title of his young career when looking at traditional tournament results. Fonseca had previously won a CH75 title in Lexington when he didn’t drop a set enroute to the title.

Fonseca again claimed a title without dropping a set.

After winning the 2019 Next Gen title, Jannik Sinner backed up at his next tournament to claim a Challenger title at the Ortisei tournament.

Fonseca is the only Next Gen champion to match that feat.

Sinner has also played in a Canberra International back in January 2020 (played in Bendigo), but the Italian lost in the second round to Emil Ruusuvuori after a first round bye. On that score, Fonseca is ahead of the current world no. 1.

Fonseca started 2024 ranked at no. 727. After this title the Brazilian sensation moves to no. 113 on the live rankings. It is just a matter of time before he will crack the top-100.

Quinn moves to no. 169 from no. 202.

Next up for both players is the Australian Open qualifying tournament.

Preston started well and took the first set before too many errors from the Australian saw Eala take the match 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Just yesterday it was the reverse for Preston after coming from a set down against Canada’s Marina Stakusic in an almost similar scoreline to the match against Eala.

Preston broke her opponent in the opening game of the match after hitting an inside out forehand service return winner.

Preston saved a break point in the next game before holding to consolidate the early break.

Both players then held serve to love to see Eala serving at 1-3. Eala again held to love in a display of powerful and accurate hitting.

Games went with serve before Preston stepped up to serve for the set at 5-4. The Australian held to love to take the first set.

Preston had the best possible start to the second set when she again broke in the first game to lead 1-0.

In the next game Preston was up 40-15 and she had a forehand that was near the service line. She over hit the shot to send it long, this let Eala back into the game and the Filipino would break back after back-to-back unforced errors from Preston.

Preston had two break points in the next game with Eala serving at 15-40 and the Australian converted when her opponent hit long.

Unforced errors and a winner from Eala saw the Filipino world no. 147 again break back.

From that moment it was all Eala with Preston just winning one more game which came in the third set. Preston did however have a break point in the opening game of the third set, it was saved with an Ace from Eala.

Another opportunity came and went for the Australian after Eala hit a winner to save that break point. Eala saved four from four break point opportunities in that set while breaking her opponent twice.

In other quarterfinal matches the defending champion and no. 1 seed Nuria Parrizas Diaz defeated qualifier Oksana Selekjmeteva 6-3, 6-3.

Japan’s no. 7 seed Aoi Ito defeated Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic 6-2, 7-6(6).

China’s Wei Sijia was too good for another qualifier Simona Waltert from Switzerland, taking the match 6-1, 6-4.

Semifinals

(1) Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) v (7) Aoi Ito (JPN)
Wei Sijia v (Q) Alexandra Eala (PHI)

Spain’s Martin Landaluce advanced without hitting a ball after Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki withdrew due to a left knee injury.

Brazil’s Next Gen champion Joao Fonseca was made to do some work to earn his spot, defeating France’s Harold Mayot 6-2, 6-3.

Fonseca had a break point in the opening game of the match after hitting a powerful backhand that forced an error from Mayot. The Brazilian was unable to convert on that occasion but a double fault gifted him another opportunity.

A stunning cross court forehand winner from Fonseca claimed the second opportunity.

Mayot, the world no. 116 immediately had a break back opportunity after Fonseca’s shot clipped the net and went wide. It was saved with a backhand winner, shortly after the game was in the bag for the Brazilian and he was up 2-0.

Another winner on a break point took the Brazilian to a 4-1 lead.

From there, three service holds saw the set claimed by Fonseca 6-2.

Mayot had four break point opportunities but was unable to convert any. Fonseca had three and converted two.

Fonseca again broke early after Mayot netted a forehand to give the break point. Again a shot into the net from the Frenchman conceded the game.

On this occasion Mayot was able to break back immediately after Fonseca hit long when facing a break point.

Mayot would lead in a set for the first time when he held for 2-1. Another unforced error and Mayot had a look at two break points with Fonseca serving at 15-40. An Ace saved the first, but a missed volley saw Fonseca broken again.

Mayot was now leading 3-1. The Frenchman would not win another game with the final score being 6-2, 6-3.

Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley was made to work hard in a two hour 14 minute clash against Christopher Eubanks from the USA. The Brit taking the match 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(3).

In the deciding set there were two breaks points against Fearnley and seven against Eubanks, none were converted.

Fearnley got the first mini break in the opening point, only too see that taken back immediately. A good wide serve setup the next point for Fearnley to have an easy volley for a winner.

Eubanks shanked a backhand that went wide to give another mini break to his opponent. From there the Brit pulled away after hitting a winner to move to 4-2.

It will be interesting to see how fresh Fearnley is tomorrow after he also played a doubles match today. In June 2024 Fearnley won his maiden Challenger title in Nottingham, he would add a further three titles and jump into the top-100.

Landaluce will play a qualifier from the USA, Ethan Quinn. The 20-year-old making his first visit to Australia defeated Vit Kopriva from the Czech Republic 6-4, 7-5 to book his spot against the Spaniard.

Quinn has quietly made his way through the draw from qualifying. The American broke in the fourth game to lead 3-1. Kopriva broke back to serve at 2-3.

Quinn held serve to go to 5-4 and then he broke to take the opening set after Kopriva netted a shot.

The American didn’t face a break point in the second set and had a chance to close it out in the 10th game. It would take another two games before he claimed his semifinal spot.

Quinn won his maiden Challenger title at the CH75 Champaign tournament last November.

Fonseca recently won the Next Gen title and has joined two illustrious players to claim the title as 18-year-olds. They include Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Semi matchups

Joao Fonseca (BRA) world no. 145 v (6) Jacob Fearnley (GBR) world no. 99.
Martin Landaluce (ESP) world no. 151 v (Q) Ethan Quinn (USA) world no. 202.

Fonseca is fresh from claiming the NextGen crown in Saudi Arabia and at no. 145 in the rankings he is looking to springboard towards the top-100 with a title in Canberra.

Another promising youngster is Landaluce who was one spot from reaching the NextGen finals.

The Spaniard is just behind Fonseca in the rankings at no. 151.

Both players have already won Challenger titles with Landaluce winning his maiden Challenger title in Olbia, Italy in October. The Brazilian claimed his maiden Challenger title in August in Lexington, Kentucky.

Fonseca commented after his match against Croatia’s Duje Ajduković that he played his best tennis of the year, but he was of course having fun with that statement knowing it was his first match in 2025.

Fonseca was in hot form in the opening set before stumbling a bit when trying to close out the match. He would however advance to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 7-5 victory.

Landaluce had a much easier time against Australia’s Dane Sweeny, taking his match 6-1, 6-2.

In the quarterfinals Fonseca will face France’s Harold Mayot, with Landaluce against Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki.

With both 18-year-olds on opposite sides of the draw we could see a final between these exciting prospects, although there are still some good players that will think otherwise.

Christopher Eubanks has been ranked as high as no. 29 back in 2023 and is coming off a Challenger title back in November when he claimed the Knoxville title.

Britain’s Jacob Fearnley (6) is the only seeded player left in the draw.

The 19-year-old had jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the opening set only to see the Canadian break back in the fourth game to level the set at 2-2.

Stakusic broke again after a Preston double-fault, to lead 4-2.

Preston broke back with the Canadian serving at 5-3. Stakusic played a lucky volley that ballooned off her racquet and landed deep on the sideline. Preston retrieved the mis-hit only to hit long on a break-point.

Stakusic taking the opening set 6-4, a set that saw five breaks of serve with Stakusic converting 3 from 3 and Preston 2 from five break point opportunities.

Games went with serve early in the second set with Preston taken to deuce in the fourth game before seeing Stakusic hit into the on the server advantage point for 2-2.

In another tight game it was Stakusic also needing advantage to escape the game.

At 3-3 in the second set, Preston converted a break point when her 20-year-old opponent hit well over the baseline. Preston would consolidate the break, but again after a hard fought game.

As Preston did in the first set, a double fault on break point gave the Australian the second set, Preston did that despite serving 5 double faults.

After Stakusic was perfect on break point opportunities in the first set, she was 0-6 in the second set, with Preston converting 2 of 5.

Preston again had a long game in the first game of the third set, but hit a forehand winner to go to 1-0.

Stakusic needed an advantage point to claim the second game, that would be the last she would win in the match.

As was often seen a game went to advantage in the third game for Preston to hold and lead 2-1. Another long game and Preston got the break to lead 3-1. A hold of serve, again after seeing deuce and it was 4-1 after the Canadian hit wide.

Preston broke to love in the sixth game to lead 5-1 and then won the next game without too much trouble to claim the win.

After serving at 50% in the first set, Preston improved to serve at 60% for the match. The worrying stat was 11 double faults.

The final score was 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Preston faces world no. 147 from the Philippines, Alexandra Eala in the quarter finals.

Australia’s other round two participant Petra Hule lost convincingly to former world no. 37 Nina Stojanovic from Serbia. Stojanovic, currently ranked at no. 210 won the match 6-2, 6-3.

.

Mayot defeated Dominik Koepfer 6-4, 6-4, the no. 7 seed and world no. 102.

Koepfer was ranked at no. 77 a year ago and did climb to no. 49 in March 2024 before slipping down the ranking later in the year.

Koepfer was broken in the opening game of the match after giving away a break point with a forehand hit well over the baseline. A repeat of that shot saw Mayot take the first break.

Mayot consolidated the break and then broke again for a 3-0 lead. After holding his second serve, Mayot was out to a 4-0 lead.

Koepfer finally held to trail 1-4.

Mayot make it 5-1. Koepfer held serve and then broke his opponent to work his way back into the set, only to see the Frenchman serve out the set for 6-4.

Koepfer was again broken in the first game in the second set, again hitting long on a break point.

The Frenchman just needed that one break to take out the match 6-4, 6-4

Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt was the men’s no. 1 back in 2001 and 2002. His son Cruz, at 16 has just recently made it onto the ATP rankings.

USA’s Brandon Holt is the son of former world no. 1 women’s player, Tracy Austin. She was world no. 1 in 1980.

Holt at 26 hasn’t hit the heights of tennis achieved by his mother. His career-high ranking is no. 180 achieved on 22 May, 2023. He is currently ranked at no. 198.

Cruz Hewitt is ranked at no. 1264 and was awarded a wildcard into qualifying. Cruz first made it into the rankings back in August of this year when he defeated Netherland’s Thijmen Loof in an ITF M15 event in Bali. Loof was ranked at no. 993.

Another notable son of a world no. 1 is Leo Borg. Leo is currently at no. 548 in the rankings and is the son of the great Bjorn Borg.

The Canberra Tennis Centre recently had the courts resurfaced and the facilities have been upgraded for the 2025 event.

Players this time have a dedicated Players Lounge and Players Dining area and for the spectators there are more food offerings and places to comfortably enjoy some food in-between tennis viewing.

The centre court is setup the same as in previous years but now there is additional shaded seating at some of the other courts.

Both champions from 2024 are back to defend their titles. Dominick Koepfer in the men’s and Nuria Parrizas Diaz in the women’s.

Parrizas Diaz is currently ranked at no. 91, with Koepfer at no. 102.

Top seed for the men’s event is Hugo Gaston from France.