Joao Fonseca explains what he’s learned from Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz this year
Joao Fonseca has teased a breakout in the 2026 season, after being considered one of the brightest sparks on the ATP Tour for the past year.
Fonseca enjoyed a monumental career high when he knocked Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud out of Roland Garros en route to the last eight of the Grand Slam.
That was undoubtedly the highlight of his season, and career, so far, but the Brazilian has also played some of the best players on the Tour.
Fonseca spoke to ESPN Brasil about his season so far, which has included high-profile defeats against Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Alexander Zverev.
The Brazilian was not able to defeat any of the top three ranked players on the ATP Tour. He was beaten by Sinner at Indian Wells, he lost to Alcaraz at the Miami Open, and his Monte Carlo Masters campaign was ended by Zverev.
Despite suffering losses against each man, he believes brushing shoulders with the best players on the ATP Tour has helped him grow as a player.
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“I think having this experience this year has been very good for me, and very important for my maturity and my career,” the teenager explained.
“I was able to play against all three of them, and although I lost to all three, it only left me with positive things,” he added.
“A lot of experience and maturity, because I was able to see the things they were much better at than me, things we were similar at, and things I could do better than them. So, seeing all that gave me a lot of experience to continue evolving and to one day, God willing, compete with those guys at the top.”
Fonseca believes playing the best players on the Tour during a year when pundits expect more from him can only be a good thing.
“It was important to play with them this year, even more it was important to play with them this year, even more so in a year where I’m defending points, in a year where I’m gaining experience playing my second year as a professional. Things have changed, I’ve evolved and I’m more mature. It definitely left me with many positive things.”
Fonseca has returned home to Brazil after his Wimbledon exit and before the North American hardcourt swing and he currently sits at World No 27 in the ATP Tour rankings. His next tournament is expected to be the Canadian Open.
The Brazilian was beaten in the first round on his maiden appearance at the Masters event, so he has the chance to capture his first victory at the Canadian event.
