Nick Kyrgios is all set to face crowd-favorite João Fonseca on July 17, in the upcoming edition of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Rio de Janeiro. This will be the first time that Kyrgios will be taking on the 19-year-old Brazilian, who is ranked No. 27 and is touted to become one of the best players on the tour. Turns out Kyrgios also holds Fonseca in high regard and believes that he has the potential to achieve big things.

“Fonseca has the potential to win multiple Grand Slams,” he said in an interview with Tennis Majors. “I look at his level, what he’s been able to produce, how quick his transition has been – he’s definitely got that X-factor, the work ethic, the level. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re seeing him be a multiple Grand Slam champion.”

The Australian is well aware of the passionate Brazilian crowd that will be cheering Fonseca during their clash. While home crowds can irritate the opposing players at times, Kyrgios has a lot of experience playing in tense atmospheres.

“I’ve played in some rough, crazy atmospheres – Federer in Miami in 2017, the semifinal, was some of the craziest atmospheres I’ve ever played in. Federer in Geneva, too, which was probably even craziest, a big three-set battle. Nadal in Acapulco was crazy too. So I’m not a stranger to playing in hostile environments,” he added.

The duo is among the eight players taking part in this edition of the event. However, their clash in Rio won’t be like any tour-level match. This is because the tournament features four eight-minute quarters instead of sets, which leads to fast-paced matches. The player to win more cumulative points wins the quarter, and the first player to win three quarters wins the match. If a tie occurs, then players play a deciding ‘quarter point’ to determine the winner.

Additionally, if the match is tied at 2-2 at the end of the four quarters, then a sudden-death quarter is played. The player who wins two consecutive points ends up winning the quarter. The format only features a single serve, and mid-match coaching is also allowed.

Coming back, Kyrgios’ clash against Fonseca will be his second match of the tournament. He had begun his campaign on July 16 with the encounter against another Brazilian, Luis Guto Miguel. But it didn’t turn out as the Australian would have expected.

Nick Kyrgios goes down to a Brazilian teenager at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown

The first day of the event caused a big upset as Kyrgios was defeated after five quarters by a 17-year-old, Luis Guto Miguel. Notably, the latter had recently won the boys’ title at the French Open and has been making waves at the junior circuit. But this result was something he wasn’t expecting to pull off.

Miguel racked up a 21-12, 15-10, 13-16, 15-21, 2-0 victory in sudden death. The Brazilian raced through the first two quarters before Kyrgios mounted an impressive comeback. He forced a deciding quarter, but Miguel wrapped it up quite comfortably in the end.

The teenager described the victory as a “dream come true” moment and pointed out how he was inspired by Kyrgios as he watched him play in his childhood.

“Nick is a guy I grew up watching play, so it’s very cool,” he said after the victory. “Just sharing the court with him is an honor, and people enjoying it, so it was a dream come true. It was a game that I started very well, then he took away my rhythm, I ended up getting a little lost.”

Will Kyrgios end up suffering a second consecutive defeat in the tournament, or will he manage to get past Fonseca in front of his home crowd? We will have to wait and see.