"He’s a genius, in two years, he will be incredible": Rafter is amazed by João Fonseca
"Brutal", "mature", "terribly promising": during the 2025 Laver Cup, Patrick Rafter was literally enthusiastic about João Fonseca. The young Brazilian prodigy, barely 19 years old, has impressed one of the biggest names in world tennis, who sees in him a future legend.
If you haven't heard of João Fonseca yet, you would do well to remember his name. At the 2025 Laver Cup, the Brazilian showcased skills that raised the eyebrows of one of the greatest champions in history: Patrick Rafter, double US Open winner and former world No. 1.
"He’s a tennis genius. It’s breathtaking to see how mature he is for his age. He is aware of what he needs to improve, but in a year, he will already be a great player and in two years, he can become excellent. It’s brutal the way he is aggressive.
He possesses incredible power, but above all an amazing calmness. He listens, learns, assimilates. He will undoubtedly have tougher periods, but I am not worried. He is progressing at a crazy speed, thus his future is extremely promising."
Thus, even if Fonseca still has areas for improvement, notably in consistency and adaptation to different surfaces, there is no doubt that his future seems more than promising.
Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture 
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention 
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future? 
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival 
