Meet the teen whose Insta followers boomed beyond half a million after stunning AO upset

There is nothing like a grand slam upset to mark your arrival in the tennis world.

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca was already earning rave reviews before the Australian Open but has a new legion of fans after dumping world No.9 Andrey Rublev out of the tournament in straight sets in the first round.

The 18-year-old qualifier’s Instagram followers almost doubled beyond half a million in the day after his 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) defeat of Rublev as excitement builds about one of the sport’s best prospects.

Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca takes a selfie with some of his fans. Credit: AP

Fonseca is yet to lose or even drop a set this year, winning the Canberra Challenger event before breezing through Open qualifying and then beating Rublev, a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park last year. Those results followed the former junior world No.1 triumphing at the ATP’s Next Gen Finals.

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