Fonseca reveals the differences he found between Alcaraz and Sinner | ATP Tour
match response
Fonseca reveals the differences he found between Alcaraz and Sinner
The 19-year-old player’s reaction after facing the world’s No. 1 player
March 21, 2026
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Joao Fonseca lost in straight sets to Carlos Alcaraz on Friday night in Miami.
Written by ATP Staff
Joao Fonseca has received a first-class tennis education in his last two matches, playing against Janik Sinner in Indian Wells and now against Carlos Alcaraz in Miami. While these superstars are at the top of the PIF ATP rankings, the Brazilians are finding a difference in their games.
“I think Alcaraz has more arsenal than Sinner. Sinner is more of a robot who just kills the ball and does everything perfectly,” Fonseca said. “Carlos, he can do it all. He can topspin, he can shoot, he has good movement. Can get to the net. He has it all. Understanding the game is more difficult. He breaks your rhythm a lot.”
Fonseca pushed eventual French Open champion Sinner into two tiebreaks in California, where he had a chance against the Italian. But in the second round of the Miami Open at Ita, Alcaraz broke serve early in both sets to seize the initiative.
“I think Janik’s game helped me go out on the court without fear and just try to play my game,” Fonseca said. “But I think I didn’t get the opportunities that I had and of course he played well. He’s No. 1 in the world. But I need to think about my mistakes and try to improve.”
The reigning Next Generation ATP Finals champion explained that Alcaraz breaks the flow of the game with slices, topspin, angles and more. This is not a replica of the challenge he faced against Sinner.
“He has it all. So you don’t know what’s going to happen, if it’s a serve, serve and volley, if it’s a serve that goes wide and hits a one-and-one, you don’t know,” Fonseca said. “So that’s how hard it is to play against him. You need to have a near-perfect game.”
Alcaraz was also impressed with Fonseca. The Spaniard has heaped praise on the 19-year-old recently, but this is the first time the pair have competed head-to-head at Lexus ATP.
“It feels like he can be a winner anywhere. That’s impressive,” Alcaraz said. “That’s what surprised me the most. But at the same time, I know what he’s capable of. Great shot, great power.”
A year after his breakout performance in Miami and a third-round appearance, Fonseca continues to learn. Who better to learn from than the No. 1 player in the world?
“It was a fun game. Carlos, he hit some great shots,” Fonseca said. “It’s fun and I think it’s good for the audience.”
