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Falling short in the Australian Open did not really help much on the 22-year-old’s case for a tennis comeback so far. She did try to compete in other tournaments but lost in the first matches of her last three tournaments, and when she did come up with a promising push in the Dubai Tennis Championships, it seems that it would only come short after she fell in the Round of 32. This season has been tough for Raducanu, and her hopes of a comeback have been really hampered with a lot of injuries over the years. Since winning that US Open Grand Slam, nothing has been easy for Raducanu, and she hopes that this will be her season to come up with a massive comeback now more than ever. The Indian Wells is coming up by the closing stretch of February, and it seems that Raducanu is keen to take her chances to the next level and hope that she can actually find her way back to her groove and finally climb her way back to the upper stages of the WTA Tour once more. Seeking a Chance Surprisingly, Emma Raducanu’s ranking so far has given her a direct entry chance to play in the Indian Wells’ main draw. It can be remembered that she required a wildcard to play the first two WTA 1000 events of 2025 in Doha and Dubai. Emma Raducanu reached the third round at Indian Wells last year and will need to defend 65 points when she returns to the desert to compete on her preferred hard courts next month. She’ll have a significant opportunity to improve her ranking at the Miami Open later in March, another WTA 1000 event that offers valuable ranking points. Although Raducanu has struggled for form in 2025, having suffered four consecutive losses before her victory in last week’s Dubai tournament, the 2021 US Open champion will be keen to establish some consistent wins over the next few weeks. Currently ranked No. 54 in the live rankings, she would need to win two or three matches in both Indian Wells and Miami to climb back into the top 50. Her ranking last year didn’t earn her direct entry into the French Open, but with strong showings in Indian Wells and Miami, she could secure a seed for the second Grand Slam of 2025. After that, she’s set to play the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in mid-April. The majority of the points Raducanu needs to defend will come during the grass court season, following impressive results in Nottingham and Eastbourne last year, before reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon. Extra Security for Raducanu Emma Raducanu has been assured additional security if she competes in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The 22-year-old appeared visibly distressed during her loss to Karolina Muchova in Dubai last week after noticing a man in the crowd who was displaying "fixated behavior" toward her. Before the match, the same man is said to have approached Raducanu outside a café near the tournament hotel, handing her a letter with his personal details. Following the incident, Raducanu flew back to the UK and issued a statement expressing gratitude for her fans' support. She has yet to confirm whether she will participate in the main draw of the Indian Wells tournament, which begins next week.

The massive explosive game of Joao Fonseca is really bringing in the thunder in the ATP Tour, and lightning strikes have caught the attention of the reigning stars in the Tour so far. Fonseca’s rise to dominance in the game has been phenomenal, and he continues to impress in his level of play one game after another. Just a kid from Brazil, Joao Fonseca has just become the 10th youngest titlist in the ATP Tour era since 1990 following his massive victory at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. Now he is getting his name on the headlines and is starting to make a lot of noise in the game – and it won’t be long until he gets to bring his game to the next level – potentially challenging the top stars in the league who have been playing for a fair amount of time. A Dominance Like no Other Both Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev are still young players who are making their names in the league. The world no. 2 and 3, respectively, have done a great job of establishing their careers at a higher level with the way they are playing right now, and they continue to bring that same energy in their respective games. Well, they are now seeing a younger version of themselves again with Fonseca showing off the same shades in his game so far. “I was watching the match. I think he played a great match, his first ATP Final,” Alcaraz said of Fonseca. “It's not easy to face an ATP Final, and playing against Francisco Cerundolo in his hometown, I know it wasn't easy. I think the level he played, it was insane. I was just really happy about him playing and getting his first ATP title.” It can be remembered that last year, Fonseca was already sitting at world no. 660, and now he has made a quick jump to no. 68. At this point, we might just see Fonseca make a huge rally all the way to the top 10 of the game so far. He just needs to come up with a much more consistent pace in his game as these two top stars did in their early runs. “Actually, I had a similar run through like him,” said Zverev. “I mean, similar ages, everything, breaking through Top 100, similar age, reaching my first tour-level final at a similar age and all that. So kind of a similar run through.” A Potential World no. 1? Alcaraz has already experienced to be at the top of the league at this point, and at the age of 19, he was already the world no. 1 after his 2022 triumph in the US Open. While there is still a lot of hurdles to climb for Fonseca, that kind of run isn’t entirely impossible – and even Alcaraz even seems to acknowledge that possibility at this point. “Potential No. 1? I don't know. I think nobody knows that,” said Alcaraz. “I can say let's see in the future, but he has potential, he has the level to get there or to fight for great things. So, I'm excited to see him in real life in a match. I'm excited to see if I'm going to play against him soon.” Fonseca’s dominance has been on display night in and night out, and many claim that he is also following the same trajectory that top star Carlos Alcaraz has done in his career to become a top star at such an early age. After all, nothing is impossible in tennis.

Making his debut in the indoor tournament at the ATP Rotterdam, Carlos Alcaraz made sure that he would not disappoint in his second tournament run for the 2025 Tour. The Spanish star proved his worth as he showed off in the final against Alex de Minaur, 6-4, 3-6, and 6-2. Alcaraz slammed the door shut to beat the Australian star on the rise in the final set and did not look back. Alcaraz stood his ground firm in the midst of a comeback attempt from de Minaur as he closed out the tournament for good, dominating the final set and securing a massive, gutsy win with surges of service aces and strong volleys to knock off the Australian in his big game. The Spanish star did not waste any time in making a strong campaign in his ATP 500 run. Last season, Alcaraz became the first and only player to win ATP 500 titles held on clay, grass, and hard courts. With the win last Sunday, Alcaraz now adds an indoor surface to his resume and has now improved to a 17-5 overall record in all finals he has played. Getting Back to His Groove It can be remembered that Alcaraz fell short of scoring a win at the previous Australian Open, where he fell to his rival Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. This win in Rotterdam now marks Alcaraz’s first trophy ever since he defeated world no. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final last October 2024. Alcaraz sank Botic van de Zandschulp in the Round of 32 in a three-set thriller right off the bat, and he would go on to beat Italian rising star Andrea Vavassori in the Round of 16 and fellow Spaniard Pedro Martinez in the quarter-final – both in straight sets. Alcaraz would the go for a promising showdown with Hubert Hurkacz, with the Spanish star emerging victorious in an intense three-set win. So far, Alcaraz has regained his rhythm, and is optimistic with his chances of winning in the next set of tournaments – which would open up with four ATP 500 events for the rest of February, and then the Indian Wells and the Miami Open to enter March. “This week has been a really good week all together,” Alcaraz said to his team. “Putting in really good work. Coming here not feeling 100 percent well with the cold but after every day I'm feeling better and better. Rotterdam has been a really special week for me. I was going to say not only for the title… yeah for the title as well, but for the support that I received here since the first day. Improving Better On the other hand, De Minaur has significantly improved his game to another level, and he now returns to his career-high of world no. 6 thanks to this deep run. The 25-year-old was unable to hold off Alcaraz, but he did show massive growth in forcing him to drop a set. “We're pushing for bigger and better things,” De Minaur said. “It’s been a lot of improvements in my game over the last couple years and I'm going to keep on pushing for more. It's been two years now with this runner-up trophy. I'm hoping I'll get my hand on the winners' one day.” Alcaraz moves to 3-0 in his head to head series with De Minaur, and all of these three games have been played in ATP 500 games. It cannot be denied that there are high expectations for Alcaraz as he felt really comfortable in the indoor tournament.

In just a month entering 2025, Felix Auger-Aliassime made the most of his campaign as he claimed his seventh title and is now a two-time champion after he managed to defeat Kovacevic, sealing a hard-fought three-set thriller that saw the Canadian outlast the ordeal, 6-2, 6-7(7), 7-6(2). This marks Auger-Aliassime’s maiden tour final, and he capped it off with a huge victory after proving his critics wrong, overcoming his early struggles and closing out the final with the bang. The Canadian clinched the win with an ace out wide, roaring his arms above and celebrating his huge success after what has been a storied campaign for him so far. The victory puts Auger-Aliassime’s tally to a total of seven ATP Tour championships, and six of those have come from indoor games. That includes one at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, where he is expected to compete at a high level next week and carry the same pace that he’s been riding so far. A Battle to the Top Felix Auger-Aliassime’s journey to victory in the Montpellier final on Sunday was anything but straightforward, especially after he looked dominant in the opening set. The Canadian initially surged ahead, winning five straight games from 1-2 down, taking control early on. However, the second set proved much more competitive, with both players tightening up their service games. Neither player managed to create any break-point opportunities, leading the set to a tense tie-break. In the breaker, Auger-Aliassime had two opportunities to clinch the title. He first held a championship point at 6-5 on return and then again at 7-6 while serving. Despite the pressure, Kovacevic held firm, playing aggressively to win three consecutive points, ultimately leveling the match at one set apiece. “For sure, the craziest final I have played, whether I won or lost,” said Auger-Aliassime in his on-court interview. “It was a crazy match. I couldn’t have got a better start. I was feeling good, but credit to Aleks, he raised his level. I think it was a very high level on both ends, serving well. This match deserved to go three sets with the way he was playing in the second.” The third set followed a similar pattern, with both men holding serve throughout, although Kovacevic did manage to create a break-point chance at 5-5. However, Auger-Aliassime managed to stave off that threat and served out the game to edge ahead 6-5. After Kovacevic failed to capitalize on his break-point opportunity, Auger-Aliassime maintained his composure and came through in a second-set tie-break, clinching the win and securing the title. Different Paths Converge While Kovacevic was understandably disappointed to fall just short of claiming his first ATP title, he can certainly take pride in his remarkable run to the final. The American had an outstanding week in Montpellier, earning five of his six victories in straight sets, including several impressive wins in the qualifying rounds. His strong performance throughout the tournament will see him rise to a career-high ATP ranking of No. 75, a well-deserved reward for his efforts. For Auger-Aliassime, the win marked another important milestone in his career, showcasing his resilience and mental toughness, especially after an early scare in the final. As both players reflect on their performances, Kovacevic's rise in the rankings and Auger-Aliassime’s steady progression solidified the sense that both men are on the cusp of greater success in the coming months.

Joao Fonseca has been on a tear since 2024, and he continues his massive rise to the ATP Rankings so far. After a successful yet short push in the 2025 Australian Open, it seems that the Brazilian star is just getting started on his massive climb after putting up impressive feats in his major main draw debut in Melbourne. At the age of 18, Fonseca is now the youngest player to ever breach the Top 100 of the ATP Tour, which is a former record held by Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled off the same feat in 2021. He is also the second-youngest South American teenager to crack the Top 100 this century behind Juan Martin del Potro. So far, sky’s the limit for Fonseca, and his massive game continues to be on the rise as he gets the cheers from the crowd, which says a lot about how he is starting to gain stardom at this point in time. Now sitting at world no. 99, it seems that this is a chance that he must make the most of if he is going to continue his ascension. Joining the Top 100 Fonseca’s rise to dominance has been highly anticipated. He has managed to come up with a dream start to the season by capturing an ATP Challenger Tour title in Canberra before reaching his maiden major main draw at the Australian Open, even delivering a huge upset when he defeated the ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the first round. “I'm excited to join the Top 100, play the big tournaments, get my place in this environment and keep working to go bigger,” Fonseca said during a Melbourne press conference. “I think for me, in my opinion, the sky's the limit. You need to work more and more to reach your dream, which is to become No. 1.” The expectations are on the high side now more than ever, and it seems that Fonseca’s chances are not that bad. He is now the youngest Brazilian to ever grace the Top 100, beating Cassio Motta, who reached the elite group as a 19-year-old in 1979. Former World No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten accomplished the feat just before his 20th birthday. At the age of 18, it seems that Fonseca is rallying yet another massive run to consider in his games. He may well be the next Carlos Alcaraz, and this is definitely spicing up another huge campaign to remember. Managing Expectations Fonseca just turned pro last February 2024, and he did a lot of great works to make the most of his chances. He is second in the ATP Live Race to Jeddah, just trailing Learner Tien by a meager 25 points. It can also be remembered that Fonseca defeated Tien in the previous year’s Jeddah title match, which says a lot about how the expectations for him are set and ready to roll. “From Brazil, the repercussions are just big. People are getting to know a little bit more of me. That's super nice. The Brazilian people like to cheer a lot for this promising kid,” Fonseca said, referring to himself. “But at the same time, you need to be focused. People are going to say a lot, have more expectations. You need to stay focused on your routine, to work more and more.” So far, this has been a magical start to the season for Fonseca, and you can definitely expect that he will get the best out of his games now more than ever.

Jannik Sinner is starting to make sure that his 2024 campaign wasn’t a lucky one as he now adds another Grand Slam title to his name, clinching the 2025 Australian Open after completing a defense of his title against Alexander Zverev in the final, beating the German star in straight sets. Through two hours and 42 minutes of action, Sinner did not let up and made sure that he would be able to bring his game to the next level after sinking Zverev, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 to keep hold of his Melbourne Major crown. With the win, Sinner now becomes the first Italian star to lift three Grand Slam trophies in the history of the ATP Tour. Since his sweep in the 2024 Australian Open and the US Open, Sinner now extends his match win streak at the hard-court majors to 21 games in a row. It has been a remarkable stretch for Sinner, and it cannot be denied that the reigning world no. 1 is showing his mettle, and he is not slowing down at the age of 23. Grinding for a Repeat Zverev did come up with a strong groove in the second set to force a total of four deuces, but Sinner was relentless in his his attack as he maintained a smooth rhythm throughout the game and has mounted massive pressure on Zverev for most of the second set, allowing him to power for a 7-6 (4) win in that regard. "We worked a lot to be in this position and it is an amazing feeling to share this moment with all of you," Sinner said to his team. "I know a part of the team is at home and my family, but it is amazing to share these feelings with you. I know Darren [Cahill] it is probably your last Australian Open as a coach and I am very, very happy to share this trophy with you. Everything started a little bit when I changed my combination of coaches and physio, I am very happy to have you all here." Sinner made sure to limit Zverev’s baseline counter and proved his expertise on the serve in the first set. He managed to win 85% of points behind his first delivery, and it forced the German to struggle in mounting a sound serve, even falling behind the sixth break point that he faced. The Chase for Big Titles Jannik Sinner began 2024 with just a single big title in his career. Now, he has a total of eight – combining Grand Slam, trophies at the ATP Finals, and Masters 1000 tournament wins. Sinner just became the first man to retain his major title since Rafael Nadal managed to do so in 2006 when he successfully defended his crown at Roland Garros. Alcaraz was on the fiery chase for championships over the years and has been climbing the ladder so far, leading with nine big titles – as he fell for his bid in this year’s Australian Open in the quarterfinals after losing to Novak Djokovic. Still, both men are succeeding at coming up with a promising rate in big title wins, with Alcaraz winning one for five, while Sinner going one for seven. At this point, both stars are chasing a bigger glory in the game, and it seems that we will likely see them battle each other as well as they try to write history now more than ever. Who knows, maybe it is the making of a new promising rivalry that fans would not want to miss.

The last eight of the Australian Open is finally complete, and it seems that fans in Melbourne will now be treated to yet another edition of a master class showdown as Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will be coming in for another fiery clash that everyone would not want to miss as these two power stars collide on the big stage. Carlos Alcaraz’s bid to become the ATP Tour’s youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam remains alive and well with his sweeping win against Jack Draper, who retired in two sets. Alcaraz had the lead before Draper revealed that he’s been managing tendinitis in his hip for most of the week, allowing Alcaraz to push forward. On the other hand, Novak Djokovic plowed through Jiri Lehecka in the Rod Laver Arena as he clinched a 6-3, 6-4, and 7-6 win in two hours and 39 minutes to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals. He now ties Roger Federer’s record of 15 runs to a men’s singles quarterfinals at the hard court major alone. Djokovic did not hold back as he dominated the game and showed no signs of slowing down. Alacaraz On the Climb Carlos Alcaraz now enters his 10th Grand Slam quarterfinal with the hopes of settling a score against Djokovic. The star finished the game and equalled the Open Era record for the most Grand Slam quarter-finals reached by a man aged 21 or under. At this point, Alcaraz looks to add the Australian Open to his list of major titles won after he’s already secured wins in the other three. "I am just happy with the level that I’m playing on the court,” reflected Alcaraz. “Off the court I’m feeling really comfortable here in Australia. I think it’s pretty good. Physically I’m feeling great so coming into the second week of a Grand Slam it’s really important to feel well physically because right now the matches are even tougher. I’m just ready. I think I’m doing great things off the court as well. Alcaraz has been really efficient in his games. He’s managed to come up with with some promising selection in his shots and has high hopes that he would be able to go deeper into the competition now more than ever. Masterclass from Djokovic Djokovic had to brush off some rust in his game. Like he did in his clash with Tomas Machac, the 37-year-old had to dominate the baseline and overwhelm Lehecka in the key moments of the game, producing 21 unforced errors in the match compared to the latter’s 44. It was a rock solid display, and he did not hold back. “I felt great,” Djokovic told Eurosport after the match. “A couple of hiccups here and there, a loose game after I broke his serve in the third. After that I had chances to break him, but every time I had an opportunity to break him, he would serve big. Just very powerful and precise. Obviously a little bit of a different opponent compared to my last-round opponent, but there were quite a few similarities, with a flat backhand and quite an aggressive style. I think I handled the pressure moments well and played some great points towards the end.” His run comes off as a result of bringing in Andy Murray as his coach, but he’s also keen to win his first tournament after going off winless in the 2024 Tour, aside from the gold medal finish in the Olympics.

In an introductory game that could have come at a later time and at a later stage, Joao Fonseca could not miss the chance to show off his development in the game as he rushed to beat world no. 9 Andrey Rublev, cruising through the first round of the Australian Open and making his presence known now more than ever. Earning victory on his major main draw debut, the Brazilian youngster managed to deliver an upset win against Rublev in straight sets, 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-6 (5). Fonseca also continues a promising winning streak dating back to December 2024, where he emerged victorious in the Next Gen ATP Finals and later won the ATP Challenger Tour crown in Canberra in early January. Fans at the Margaret Court Arena were left in shock and awe as the world no. 112 made sure that he would be remembered. Fonseca was drilling one point after another as he made it look easy off both wings while outplaying his 27-year-old opponent, showing how much he has improved in just a short span of time. A Win to Remember The rising star from Brazil showed his high level of confidence and has successfully managed to use the hype surrounding him to further elevate his games. Suffice to say, Fonseca did not let up and made sure that he could come up with bigger performances when it mattered most – and it did pay off. “I just enjoyed every moment on this amazing court, it’s my first time playing in a huge stadium,” Fonseca said. “I want to thank this amazing crowd. There are some Brazilians here... a lot of Brazilians here cheering for me! Fonseca made use of his backhand most of the time to dictate the pace and used his forehand to clap back on Rublev’s high momentum swings. He struck with promising consistency as he fired a total of 51 winners on all areas of the court, forcing Rublev to chase balls from many sides in a match that lasted two hours and 20 minutes. “I was trying to not put pressure on myself, playing with a Top 10 guy in a huge stadium,” Fonseca said. “Iwas trying to call the crowd to help me. I just enjoyed playing my game. That’s one thing about myself, is that I play better in the important points, I go for my shots. That was the difference today.” A Story of Upsets Fonseca started out the year 2024 as the world no. 730 in the ATP Rankings. In a full year, he ended up inside the top 150, thanks to promising campaigns in the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro and ATP 250 in Bucharest, where he both reached the quarterfinal stages. Now he is up to no. 98 overall in the live rankings. This is the first time that Rublev suffered a tough first-round exit in the Australian Open since 2019, and he is the second top 10 player to exit the AO after Grigor Dimitrov had to retire on Monday. Other massive upsets seen across the Australian Open include Nick Kyrgios, who was a hometown favorite – having been defeated by Jacob Fearnley in the first round as well. Daniil Medvedev survived a scare in the first round as well, narrowly beating world No. 418 Kasidit Samrej in what could have been a historic upset in the Australian Open as of the time of writing.

Brazil’s prodigal son Joao Fonseca continues to be on the rise for this season as he continues to make his presence felt on the big stage and deliver interesting performances to begin the year now more than ever – with a shot at the second round of the qualifying phase for the 2025 Australian Open. Just a few weeks removed from winning the Next Gen ATP Finals last December 2024, it cannot be denied that Fonseca’s rise is quite impeccable, and we are now seeing him make bigger strides in the game considering how his pace has been seen as a magical experience to watch, which makes him a hot pick to look out for in the competition. For context, the Australian Open is filled with a lot of contenders to look out for. Names such as Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and even defending champion and reigning world no. 1 Jannik Sinner are all coming in to play, which says a lot about the big stakes that the competition presents – all of them will be on Fonseca’s path if he is going to make his case. Building on Strong Momentum Defeating Learner Tien in the Nex Gen title match back in Jeddah, Fonseca is back to his usual programming after he captured his second ATP Challenger Tour crown in Canberra last week, now winning his 11th straight match after he also defeated Argentine Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 6-0 in the first round of the qualifying for the Australian Open 2025. At the age of 18, Fonseca is seeking to qualify for a major for the first time in his young career, and there’s a lot of hope that he can actually make a winning stride now more than ever. He has the momentum, and that means a lot of confidence building on his case for the Australian Open. The last time that a youngster impressed and crashed the big stage? Well, Carlos Alcaraz made his presence felt in the 2022 US Open at the age of 19 and even ended the calendar year as the youngest and first teenager to finish as the world no. 1 in the history of the ATP Tour, which proves that it isn’t also impossible for Fonseca to make a rise in the AO. Youngsters on the Rise Aside from Fonseca, the 16-year-old Cruz Hewitt, the son of former world no. 1 Lleyton Hewitt also tried to make a splash in the Australian Open but fell short in the initial rounds after losing to former Top 20 star Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 6-4. Tien, who was the runner-up for the Next Gen ATP Finals, finished with a 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-1 win against Frenchman Gregoire Barrere. The young side has been quite dominant in the ATP Tour so far, and the same can be said amongst the elite considering how Novak Djokovic, the oldest reigning world no. 1 in the current era, has fallen off the reins of the top spot and has seen the likes of Sinner, Zverev, and Alcaraz take over the upper echelon of the game. This says a lot about how the young players are starting to take over in the ATP Tour now more than ever. For Fonseca, this is a great sign of things to come, and there will be multiple opportunities for him to enjoy his success as he continues to strive his path to the top of the game and launch himself as a star in the game.

Joao Fonseca enters the fray of the NextGen ATP Finals with the hopes of coming up with a massive run in the tournament. At the age of 18, he’s become one of the top rising stars in the Next Gen, and one can say that punching his ticket to the NextGen ATP Finals has certainly uplifted his case for his ascension to the ATP Tour now more than ever. Fonseca is the first Brazilian star who will be playing at the NextGen ATP Finals. He was the eighth and final player to qualify for the tournament, and he’s been really on a massive climb so far with the way he’s pursuing success night in and night out. Dubbed as the next Carlos Alcaraz, it cannot be denied that his potential is sweeping the ATP Tour trends today. The NextGen ATP Finals serves as the perfect stage for Fonseca to come up with a promising finish to 2024, which has been a massive campaign for the Brazilian so far. Considering the fact that Fonseca is still young, one can expect him to join the upper echelon of the ATP Tour next season and make a big break in his game after this year. Fast Rise to the Top If you are not impressed with the way Joao Fonseca is playing right now, it is worth noting that the Brazilian star came from starting the season at World no. 730 all the way to being the youngest at the top 150, currently sitting at the no. 145 – which is a career-high thanks to his impressive season. Fonseca shot the lights out in February when he made a splash in Rio de Janeiro, advancing to the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 at home while also beating both Arthur Fils and Cristian Garin – who are seen as rising contenders in today’s NextGen class so far. He would also go on to reach the final eight in Bucharest and even won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Lexington. “I was really not thinking about it,” the Brazilian said in an interview. “After Rio, where I made the quarters, I jumped from 600 to 300. So it was a really big jump. I think when we have this kind of opportunity, you don't have any pressure; you just need to enjoy, and this is what I did in Rio. I was like No. 600 and I was playing guys from the Top 100.” Tennis is About Steps This season has been all about breakthrough for Joao Fonseca so far, and sky is the limit for his chances of winning now more than ever with the way he is playing right now. But for the Brazilian, this climb to the top is all about steps, and he’s certainly making the most of it. “I'd say tennis is about steps, so it's important to play tournaments on the Challenger Tour to get a bit more experience,” said Fonseca. “Obviously, I wanted to go as fast as I could to the ATP Tour, but it's step by step. After Rio and after Bucharest, I made a real big jump. It's really nice and I’ve seen my expectations go faster than I could imagine. Now, step by step, I am trying to enter the ATP Tour. That is where I want to be.” The big successes that Fonseca has enjoyed so far has been quite fun to watch, and it cannot be denied that his presence in the game has proven to be a huge climb now more than ever.

Jannik Sinner’s wonder campaign continues for the 2025 season as he headlines the list of contenders who are set to take on the challenge for the Australian Open, which is the first major of the year. At this point, all eyes are on the reigning world no. 1 to continue his reign and extend his dominance in the ATP Tour now more than ever. Following strong suit among contenders are his fellow top stars Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, and Taylor Fritz. Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic also joined Sinner as the only former champions to be included in the main-draw list for the coming Australian Open. It is expected that this will be a high stakes tournament as the winner gets to set the tone for the rest of the campaign. At least, that’s how it worked for Jannik Sinner in his bid for the 2024 Australian Open last year, and he would go on to make a massive run to the top of the ATP Tour. This time, the Italian star is hoping to work with the same formula with the goal of extending his lead and rise to dominance in the sport while achieving bigger heights than he did last season. Title Defense Begins Now Sinner is slated to defend his Australian Open title in 2025 as he seeks to keep hold of the top spot and steer away from rising contenders. The hard-court major has always been one of Sinner’s strong suits, and it cannot be denied that he is making a strong presence in the game to ensure that he can come up with yet another promising win. At this point, Sinner is expected to battle against some key players who have a lot of stake in the tournament as well. For instance, Djokovic is eyeing his 100th tour-level win. While he can do that when he plays in the Brisbane Open to begin the 2025 season, it is expected that the Serbian star will put up a massive fight to reclaim the groove he lost in 2024. On the other hand, an Australian favorite in Nick Kyrgios returns once more after missing out most of the 2024 campaign. The 29-year-old will play his first competitive event since June 2023 in Brisbane, before heading to Melbourne to get his feet wet and gauge his game en route to the hard-court major. Let’s not forget that Sinner has a flurry of opponents to watch out for. Some of the top 10 hopefuls who haven’t lifted the AO trophy are all on the prowl, such as Zverev, Fritz, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov. Sinner’s Odds Despite being the defending champion and the world no. 1, fans and critics should be surprised that Jannik Sinner isn’t the favorite to win it all in the Australian Open in the coming season. In fact, he ranks third with odds of +220 to win it all, just behind Carlos Alcaraz (+200) and Novak Djokovic (+150). Still, the odds don’t tell the whole story. It can be remembered that Sinner did not drop a single set in his first five matches of the Australian Open, taking down key contenders Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev in that stretch. He would go on to beat Djokovic in the semis in four sets, while forcing a comeback win against Medvedev in the final. Since then, Sinner has grown into a fierce competitor, and it is expected that the star will make a stronger case than he did before with the hopes of continuing his storied rise to greatness in the ATP.