Game preview
Fonseca: ‘I can’t respect’ Alcaraz on the court in Miami
The 19-year-old will preview his first meeting with world number one Alcaraz on Friday
March 20, 2026
ATP Tour
Joao Fonseca meets world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz for the first time in Miami on Friday.
Jerome Coombe
Joao Fonseca continues to make headlines on the ATP Tour, but there is no greater challenge than facing the top two players in the PIF ATP Rankings in consecutive weeks.
The 19-year-old Brazilian is now gearing up for another chance to make a statement when he takes on world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the second round of the Miami Open in Itau on Friday. The match took place nine days after Fonseca’s impressive performance against Jannik Sinner in Indian Wells, forcing the eventual champion into a two-set tie-break.
Alcaraz has lost just one match in 2026 and continues to lead the Tour, which represents another tough test. However, Fonseca met the moment with the same fearless mentality that was the foundation of his meteoric rise.
“I will look at this match as an opportunity,” Fonseca told ATP Media. “Of course, facing Janik in the last tournament and now Alcaraz was a huge step up for me as a player and trying to work things out. Problems will definitely arise… You can play perfectly, but these guys are so good, they can beat you.
“I thought I had a great match with Janik and I had some chances. Of course, I’m happy with myself because I gave everything. I had a great match. But I was focused on what I needed to do to win this match or win the first set, or what I could do to win the second set. Against those guys, there are always little things.”
Those slight advantages were evident in the California desert, where Fonseca held three set points in the first set against Sinner but was unable to convert, according to Infosys ATP Statistics. Still, Fonseca left Indian Wells believing he could not only compete with the best, but also cause them problems.
Watch Sinner vs. Fonseca Indian Wells highlights:
Alcaraz’s demands were even higher. The Spaniard has become a benchmark on tour with his intensity and all-court brilliance, although recent matches – including Daniil Medvedev beating him in Indian Wells – have shown that bold, aggressive tennis can pay off.
“I will face Carlos the same way,” Fonseca said, comparing it to the approach he took before his clash with Sinner. “Try to face him as a top five player, play good tennis and try to respect him. But I can’t respect him on the court.
“I need to face him with the mentality that I can win. I think that’s the mentality, try to be brave, enjoy the time, enjoy learning, enjoy the process on the court. But of course, I want to win.”
For Fonseca, the 2024 Next Generation ATP Finals champion, the chance in Miami is another chance to test him against the sport’s elite. In his first Lexus ATP head-to-head showdown with Alcaraz, these “little details” will once again prove decisive.
