Nineteen-year-old Joao Fonseca – who possesses pulsating power and a passionate, ubiquitous Brazilian fan base – has received widespread attention following the draw for this year’s Australian Open. The teenager is likely to face Jannik Sinner in the third round of the Australian Open, with many viewing the lingering matchup as a potential litmus test and an opportunity for Fonseca (win or lose) to make a statement of intent.
Note: Fonseca will face American Elito Spizzri in the first round. If he advances, he will face Luca Nardi or Wu Yibing in the second round.
Roger Federer happened to be in Melbourne holding a press conference after Thursday’s draw was announced, and he was asked to give his thoughts on the rising talent, and he had high praise.
A reporter asked the Swiss legend, do you think Fonseca can become the “third man” in men’s tennis? Tied with Sinner and Alcaraz.
To this, he quickly replied:
“You don’t want to be the third person, you want to be the one.”
Federer What follows is a long story Regarding Fonseca, he added that self-confidence must be paramount when talking about such a noble mission.
“For anyone, I hope that’s what he’s thinking. Of course, you don’t want to get too carried away and think too far ahead… I feel like anyone on tour should be able to come here and say ‘I want to win the Australian Open’ and that should be completely allowed, and the same goes for Joao and I hope he has that mentality.”
Federer echoed the sentiments of most who are closely watching Fonseca’s breakout season in 2025. Yes, the sky is the limit, but at the same time: yes, he needs to find a balance in his game, between when to invest more and when to be patient. That should come with maturity, Federer said.
“I think he’s a little bit like me in that he just needs a little more time to hone his game,” the 20-time major champion said. “When to drop back, when to give up the shot, but once he figures that out, the sky is the limit, but obviously I think he’s one of the guys that can compete for the biggest wins.”
“I think what separates him from a lot of other players is just his power – forehand, backhand, serve – and his ability to bring point-to-point. He’s exciting, he has a great aura and I think he’s a very likeable character as well. I love watching him play, to be honest, I saw him briefly at the Laver Cup and saw him from behind on the sidelines – that was impressive too.”
Speaking of impressive players, Federer will train with Caspar Rudd at Rod Laver Arena on Friday – stay tuned for more on that session.
