Brazilian Teenager Fonseca Ousts 8th Seed Rublev

The importance of the split-step when receiving serve cannot be stressed enough. It is that small hop, often forward, that keeps the body in motion and ready to spring towards the ball in whichever direction it may come.

- Shahid Judge

MUMBAI:

There was something peculiar in Joao Fonseca's split-step when he had a match point on Andrey Rublev's serve in the third set of their Australian Open first-round match.

As Rublev tossed the ball, Fonseca's hop was more towards his right rather than straight ahead. On any other day, it might have been a risky move. But on Tuesday, in the 18-year-old's first-ever main draw appearance at a Grand Slam, that too against the world No. 9, Fonseca could do no wrong.

Rublev's serve came, clocking 192 kmph, but Fonseca had read it well and was ready to hammer back a return that briefly threw the Russian off balance. A quick exchange and another powerful forehand up the line secured Fonseca the biggest win of his career, for now—and the biggest upset of the Australian Open this year so far.

In a match that lasted two hours and 23 minutes, Fonseca, the world No. 112 who made it to the main draw as a qualifier, had beaten the ninth seed 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-6(5). "Not bad, huh," he would say in his post-match interview on Margaret Court Arena.