Joao Fonseca hailed for doing something that is even better than Carlos Alcaraz
Joao Fonseca has been one of the stories of Roland Garros so far, having made it to the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in his career.
The Brazilian teenager has stunned in victories against Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud, and he is now one of the favourites to lift the trophy himself.
Ahead of a tantalising meeting with Jakub Mensik on Philippe-Chatriet, Fonseca has received huge praise from former Roland Garros finalist Henri Laconte.
Speaking on TNT Sports and Eurosport’s coverage of Roland Garros, Laconte heaped strong praise on Fonseca’s forehand after his exploits at the Paris Grand Slam.
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“Joao has a forehand with a technique and striking quality unlike any other, even exceptional. He has a relaxed feel, a kind of whipping motion that allows him to accelerate the ball to incredible speed.”
The Frenchman then compared Fonseca’s forehand quality to some of the best in the sport, including Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Martin del Potro, and Gael Monfils.
“Alcaraz is all about power,” explained Laconte. “Joao is truly relaxed, with a lot of flexibility in his arm and wrist. You have absolutely no idea when it’s going to go.
“Gaël (Monfils) or Del Potro, when they had the time to set up their full game, they could also hit some powerful shots. Courier too, in ‘baseball’ mode, Sampras with his extended elbow, Becker and Fernando Gonzalez had the same ability, in terms of power as well.
Comparing Fonseca’s directly with Alcaraz’s forehand, Laconte believes there are aspects where the Brazilian comes out on top.
He explained: “Alcaraz is more textbook. Fonseca has an agility, a freedom of movement that Alcaraz doesn’t have. It’s almost like squash with his elasticity.
“He can hit shots that don’t exist. Shots that aren’t part of the rules. He’s afraid of nothing, that’s what makes the difference. There’s no holding back. Joao is a player.”
Fonseca, along with his brilliant forehand, have long been considered one of the most exciting prospects in tennis, but it is at Roland Garros where he has truly lived up to that billing.
The Brazilian is just three matches away from his first Grand Slam title and, with the draw as open as ever, he has every chance to lift the trophy at Roland Garros.
Should he find a way past Mensik in the last eight, he will likely play Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. The pair met for the first time on the ATP Tour earlier this year, when Zverev defeated Fonseca in three sets at the Monte Carlo Masters.
