Joao Fonseca ‘wired for greatness’ as Serena Williams’ ex-coach makes 2026 rankings prediction
Joao Fonseca has been backed to join Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in a “big 3 nest” by acclaimed tennis coach Rick Macci.
Brazilian star Fonseca has long been recognised as one of the hottest prospects in men’s tennis, and a breakthrough 2025 season has seen the 19-year-old soar up the tennis pecking order.
The teenager won his first ATP Tour title at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires in February and claimed the biggest title of his career to date at the ATP 500 Swiss Indoors in October.
After starting 2025 ranked 145th in the world, Fonseca now sits at a brand new career high of 24th, having cracked the top 100, top 50, and top 30 for the first time over the past 11 months.
Expectations have been high for Fonseca ever since an impressive junior career, in which he won the boys’ singles title at the 2023 US Open.
However, a hugely impressive first full year of ATP Tour action has put him front and centre of many people’s predictions as the man who could challenge Alcaraz and Sinner’s duopoly.
Alcaraz and Sinner have dominated the men’s game in recent years, winning the last eight Grand Slam titles between them.
All eyes are on whether and when someone can challenge their dominance, and Fonseca has now received the backing of legendary coach Macci.
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Writing on Twitter/X, the former coach of the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova claimed that the Brazilian “checks all the boxes” to potentially become a leading force in the sport.
He wrote: “Fonseca is the real deal. He checks all the boxes because he is the most versatile and up coming complete player with firepower the past 3 years. He has no Sinner/Alcaraz scar tissue like the rest and he will fly in soon and create a big 3 nest.”
Macci then commented in a further post, claiming that the Brazilian would “rocket” inside the top 10 in 2026.
He added: “Fonseca is wired for greatness. Can hurt you in many ways but mentally is a cut above. He is entering pro tennis with two of the most dominate [sic] players we have seen but the Brazilian Blaster has extra tools in his pocket and in 2026 will enter the top ten like a rocket.”
All eyes will be on how Fonseca fares throughout 2026, with the 19-year-old now tasked with defending a significant amount of ranking points across the season.
However, he is set to be well-rewarded for his 2025 efforts at the opening Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open.
Ranked 24th in the world, Fonseca is set to be seeded in Melbourne — the first time he will have ever been seeded at a Grand Slam event.
It represents a remarkable rise for the Brazilian, who memorably came through qualifying at the event this year before stunning Andrey Rublev in the opening round.
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