Tennis is growing in countries not traditionally known for the sport courtesy of a new wave of players proving that passion and talent can come from anywhere.
Hailing from nations with large populations – and growing fan bases - these emerging stars are capturing attention on the global stage, not just for their results, but for the excitement they bring to enthusiastic supporters at home and on social media.
Leading the charge is Alexandra Eala, whose WTA breakthrough has sparked a national frenzy, and other young players - from Brazil to Indonesia, Mexico to Turkiye - are also making history and inspiring compatriots to pick up a racquet.
Here are five to watch at Australian Open 2026 and beyond.
Alexandra Eala (Philippines)
Eala has become one of the most exciting young players on the women’s tour, and Filipino fans have embraced her as a national hero.
In 2025, the 20-year-old broke into the WTA top 50, reached her first WTA final, and captured a maiden WTA 125 title in Guadalajara - all historic firsts for a player from the Philippines.
She also turned heads at the 2025 US Open by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam main-draw match, rousing the crowds and lighting up social media.
Her fan base travels in numbers to watch her matches.
Zeynep Sonmez (Turkiye)
Zeynep Sonmez continues to set the standard for Turkish tennis.
In 2025 she reached the third round at Wimbledon - the best Grand Slam result in the Open era for a Turkish woman - and on Thursday qualified for the Australian Open main draw, another significant milestone.
Her rise has been followed closely in her homeland.
“I always love going back home - they’re very happy right now with my results,” Sonmez said following her third round qualifying victory against Anastasia Gasanova.
“It’s probably very early morning [there] but they’re very happy that I made it, because I’m the only player playing a Grand Slam right now from my country.”
Tennis isn’t Turkiye's greatest sporting passion, but Sonmez has helped change the landscape.
“Football is the biggest sport in Turkiye and then maybe basketball … after that tennis,” she said. “But it’s getting bigger. After Wimbledon last year, a lot of people started to play tennis and watch the matches more.
"Now people are able to watch my matches too. It was difficult to watch the matches in Turkiye, but now there’s more attention on tennis, so I think it’s going in a good way.”
Her own path into the sport was equally unconventional. “No one introduced me to tennis,” she said. “I was going to summer school and playing basketball and swimming. I really hated basketball, so I was running to the tennis court trying to play with the huge racquets. My first coach saw me and said, ‘OK, if she wants to play tennis, let her play.’ I was the one who went for it.”
Now inside the top 70 and rising, Sonmez is leading a new generation of Turkish tennis fans - and could reach even more Melbourne milestones.
Joao Fonseca (Brazil)
He may be only 19 but Joao Fonseca has already captured the attention of the Brazilian public and international tennis community in a way not seen since the days of Gustavo Kuerten.
Roger Federer himself rates the teen sensation.
“I think what separates him from a lot of the other guys in the draw is just his power – forehand, backhand, serve – and what he’s able to bring, that point for point,” Federer said.
“He’s exciting, he’s got a good aura, I feel he’s a very likeable character as well. I like watching him play, to be honest.
“I briefly met him at the Laver Cup, I saw him also courtside, and also from the back, and it was impressive to see,” he continued. “I think he’s a little bit like me in the sense he just needs a little bit more time to work on his game, to know when to dial back and when to unload his shots. He’s going to figure that out, and obviously the sky’s the limit.
“He’s truly one of the guys who can compete for the biggest wins.”
The Rio de Janeiro-born talent rose rapidly through the ranks after a stellar junior career - including a US Open junior title and No.1 junior ranking - and turned professional with purpose.
In 2025 in Buenos Aires, he became the youngest Brazilian man to win an ATP title and claimed his first ATP 500 title in Basel - the first Brazilian to do so since Kuerten in 2001.
Fonseca’s matches often draw big, vocal crowds, and tournament organisers have shifted him to larger courts to accommodate his fan base.
Janice Tjen (Indonesia)
Janice Tjen exploded on to the WTA Tour in 2025 in emphatic fashion.
At the US Open, the 23-year-old from Jakarta became the first Indonesian woman in more than two decades to win a Grand Slam main draw match and then made her mark again at the São Paulo Open by reaching a WTA final - another first since 2002 for her country.
Tjen’s success has sparked excitement in Indonesia, where few players have reached these heights in modern tennis history, and her success has helped grow the sport’s profile across the archipelago.
Renata Zarazua (Mexico)
Mexican pro Renata Zarazua has long been a presence on the circuit, but 2025 brought her biggest career moment yet.
The Mexico City native stunned fans worldwide by defeating Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the first round of the US Open - her country’s first triumph over a top-10 opponent at a major in decades.
Zarazua, 28, has broken into the WTA top 100 in singles and doubles, making her one of the most successful Mexican players in history and a role model for aspiring players in the region.