Joao Fonseca is just 19 years old, but Rick Macci already thinks he’s going to be a superstar. And when a Hall of Fame coach who worked with Serena Williams says that, people listen.
This year’s been pretty amazing for the Brazilian teenager.
He grabbed his first ATP title at the Argentina Open in February, beating home favorite Francisco Cerundolo in a final that had fans on their feet. The rallies were intense, and Fonseca showed he could handle the pressure.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|
After some ups and downs over the summer, he came back strong at the Swiss Indoors in Basel. That tournament had its weird moments too – Denis Shapovalov suddenly retired during their match even though he didn’t look injured at all.
But it’s not just the wins that have people talking.
Fonseca plays with this incredible energy that makes tennis fun to watch. His forehand is absolutely massive, and he hits winners that make you wonder how that’s even possible.
Macci doesn’t need to see any more. He’s convinced this kid is the real deal.
The Coach’s Bold Prediction
In a recent post on X, the legendary coach called Fonseca "the most complete up-and-coming player" on tour right now.
"Fonseca is the real deal. He checks all the boxes because he is the most versatile and up-and-coming complete player with firepower over 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."
That’s a pretty bold statement. Macci’s basically saying Fonseca can join Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the top because he hasn’t been beaten down by them yet like other players have.
The coach got even more excited in his follow-up post.
"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 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."
Top 10 by 2026? That’s moving fast, even for someone with Fonseca’s talent.
What’s really impressive is how grounded the teenager stays despite all the hype. When Alejandro Davidovich Fokina said he’d become "the next Novak Djokovic," Fonseca pushed back. He doesn’t like being compared to other players – he wants to write his own story.
Recognition From the ATP
The tennis world has definitely noticed what Fonseca’s doing.
He was nominated for the ATP’s Breakthrough Player of the Year award, recognition that comes with winning two titles and playing with that electrifying style that gets crowds going.
Jack Draper was another nominee after winning Indian Wells and reaching the Madrid final. Unfortunately, an arm injury cut his season short.
The other nominees were Valentin Vacherot and Jakub Mensik. Vacherot’s run to the Shanghai Masters title was one of those completely unexpected moments that make tennis special – especially since he beat his own cousin in the final.
Carlos Alcaraz got nominated for the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award too. He won it back in 2023, and it’s easy to see why. The guy’s always smiling after amazing points, even when he loses them.
But back to Fonseca – if Macci’s right about his timeline, 2026 could be the year we see a new face challenging at the biggest tournaments.
The Brazilian’s got the game, the mentality, and now the attention. Whether he can handle all three at once? That’s what makes this so interesting to watch.
