Joao Fonseca has faced both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner within the last ten days, coming up short in each match.
Still, there’s plenty to take away from these matches for the teenager. Plenty of people around the game believe he’s got the game to shake up their hold on the ATP Tour in the years ahead.
After his defeat to Alcaraz, Fonseca was naturally asked to choose between two players who have dominated recent headlines.
Joao Fonseca offers his take on the differences between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
While careful not to downplay Sinner’s abilities, Fonseca made it clear he sees Alcaraz as having a wider range of options.
He said: “I think Alcaraz has more arsenal than Sinner. Sinner is more like a robot that just kills the ball and does everything perfect. Carlos, he can do everything. He can do with topspin, fire the ball, has good movement, goes to the net. It’s more difficult to understand the game.”
Sinner had already beaten Fonseca at Indian Wells earlier this month, winning both sets in tiebreaks on his way to taking the title.
That match followed another meeting between the two young players, where Alcaraz spoke highly of Fonseca’s potential.
Breaking down Alcaraz’s Miami Open victory over Fonseca
Even though Carlos Alcaraz won in straight sets, the match was more competitive than the score suggested.
The result spoke more to the Spaniard’s quality than any shortcomings on Fonseca’s part.
Fonseca actually made fewer unforced errors and created three break point chances, though he couldn’t convert any of them.
The main difference was in shot-making. Fonseca managed just eight winners, while Alcaraz hit 20, which proved decisive in a tight contest.
Alcaraz earned a 9.0 performance rating from the ATP analytics team for his efforts.
Fonseca wasn’t far behind with an 8.0, which shows he’s closing the gap on the game’s elite and could be a real threat before long.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
