Joao Fonseca reveals what he must improve to match Alcaraz and Sinner

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Joao Fonseca is widely seen as the next player poised to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s hold on the top of men’s tennis.

The Brazilian has risen quickly through the ranks in recent years, breaking into the sport’s elite while still only 19 years old.

But despite his rapid rise, it wasn’t until this year that he crossed paths with either of the ATP’s top two players in a tour-level match.

Fonseca lost both matches against Alcaraz and Sinner but didn’t look out of place in either contest. He competed well and held his own for stretches, leaving little reason for concern about where he stands among the game’s best.

If anything, those matches may have confirmed what many already thought about him: that he’s not far off from breaking into that very top tier.

Joao Fonseca explains what sets Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner apart

Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Even though he performed well in both matches, as well as a recent outing against Alexander Zverev, Fonseca admits he’s not on their level yet.

When asked what separates the best from the rest, he pointed back to that match against Zverev earlier this month.

“Yeah, it was a good match. I mean, it’s always tough to play against those guys,” he said. “They know how to deal and they know how to manage these matches, the important points, they know how to play it. So yeah, it was a very, very difficult match.”

Fonseca took that experience and used it to highlight a broader point about what sets the top players apart: “I think the difference between playing against them is the little things,” he said. “The little important points that you miss… The opportunity’s gonna come like a break point or a time that he feels a little bit more of the pressure is gonna come… but you need to get those important points that you have.”