Joao Fonseca reflects on how early Roger Federer comparisons have impacted his career

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Joao Fonseca hasn’t found much momentum during his second season on the ATP Tour.

After an impressive 2025 campaign where he captured his first two titles, the Brazilian teenager has struggled to make a deep run in 2026.

Fonseca’s best results so far have been quarter-final appearances at both the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Munich Open.

But early exits have been a theme this season. He’s fallen short at several major tournaments, including the Australian Open, Miami, Madrid, and most recently Rome.

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Joao Fonseca speaks out on the expectations surrounding his career

Fonseca has been viewed as a future superstar ever since he first appeared on the scene, with plenty of voices in tennis weighing in on what his career should look like.

During an interview with Forbes, he was asked how he manages to block out the noise.

“I felt the pressure from people, all the expectations. I felt like everyone thought I was going to become the next Roger Federer almost overnight.

“But things don’t work like that. Now, I think I’ve understood that I only play for myself, that I don’t owe anything to people and that I don’t play for them, but for myself.”

Joao Fonseca’s ranking changes in 2026 so far

Fonseca started the year ranked 29th in the world, a position that would see him seeded for the Australian Open.

Following a first-round exit at Melbourne Park and an unsuccessful title defence at the Argentina Open, he slipped out of the top 30.

Fonseca quickly rose again, however, with his quarter-final runs in Monte-Carlo and Munich and is now 29th in the world.