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Rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca was knocked out of the Australian Open in the first round after struggling physically in defeat to American Eliot Spizzirri.
Fonseca, the 28th seed, made his big breakthrough at last year’s tournament as a qualifier as he defeated top-10 player Andrey Rublev, but fell at the first hurdle on his return to Melbourne as Spizzirri claimed his first Australian Open win.
The 19-year-old Fonseca struggled with his movement and took a medical timeout deep into the fourth set as Spizzirri, the world No 85, won 6-4 2-6 6-1 6-2.
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Fonseca receives treatment from a trainer during his four-set defeat (AP)
Fonseca had been forced to miss warm-up tournaments in Brisbane and Adelaide due to a lower back injury, and did not look anywhere close his best as he played his first competitive match of the season.
“I wasn’t 100 per cent yet,” Fonseca said afterwards. “I will say I needed more time. Since beginning of Brisbane, I wasn’t playing, and then I came back, but slowly. Then I stopped again. So I was almost like 15 days without hitting 100 per cent or very intense.”
Fonseca had been a potential third-round opponent for defending champion Jannik Sinner, and was highlighted by Roger Federer before the tournament as one of the up-and-coming stars who could break into Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s duopoly of the sport.
“I just think he’s more a little bit like me in the sense he needs a little bit more time to work on his game,” Federer said.
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USA’s Eliot Spizzirri is congratulated by Brazil’s Joao Fonseca (AFP via Getty Images)
“Similar to Jannik, as well, to know when to dial back and when to unload his shots. Once he figures that out, obviously the sky’s the limit.
“But obviously I think he’s truly one of the guys that can compete for the biggest wins.”
Fonseca tried to look at the positives despite a disappointing early exit.
“My back is 100 per cent. I’m healthy again. I just needed time,” he said. “So it was good to see how to deal with a five-set match and with the physique not 100 per cent. I was getting tired earlier. I needed rhythm.
“But it’s good to have those experience, to see your limits, to see how it can go. Yeah, I don’t regret a thing.”