João Fonseca reveals the other side of the story: "Even Alcaraz has experienced it"

At 19, João Fonseca is already shaking up the ATP tour. But behind his victories, the Brazilian unveils another reality of the circuit, mentioning Carlos Alcaraz and the less glamorous behind-the-scenes of his rise.

AFP

Arthur Millot

le 02/12/2025 à 07h18

2 min to read

Alcaraz Fonseca

At just 19 years old, João Fonseca already has all the makings of a predicted phenomenon. With titles in Buenos Aires and Basel, he now ranks 24th in the world.

His breakthrough took root in Australia, where Fonseca, coming through the qualifiers, struck a huge blow by defeating Andrey Rublev, a Top 10 player, in three sets (7-6, 6-3, 7-6).

"After Rublev, everything changed": The surge in popularity that surprised him

"The real jump in popularity came from the victory against Rublev in Australia. I didn't realise it...", Fonseca confides to ESPN Brasil.

In Brazil, he rarely walks the streets, but his family witnessed the phenomenon firsthand. "Social media exploded", he recounts, still surprised by the scale.

It was only upon returning for the holidays that he finally measured the wave: crowds, requests, stares. The young prodigy then realised he was no longer just a talent: he had become a national phenomenon.

"People only see the titles...": The hidden side of a meteoric rise

But behind the image of the young prodigy stringing together victories, Fonseca reveals a daily life far less linear.

"People only see the points, the rankings, and the titles", he explains. "But there have been very difficult moments. Even Carlos Alcaraz, in his documentary, states he was not in form during the 2024 finals. It happens to everyone."

A way also of telling the public: behind the young prodigy, there is an athlete still learning to handle the spotlight, the pressure, and a frenetic pace.