As the tennis world converges on Madrid for the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open, 18-year-old Brazilian prodigy João Fonseca is turning heads—not just for his explosive forehand but for a surprising take on his ideal tennis player. In a recent interview ahead of his second-round clash against Lorenzo Sonego, the Next Gen ATP Finals champion crafted his vision of the ultimate player, drawing from tennis legends like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. Yet, his selections raised eyebrows by excluding current superstars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, players he’s repeatedly cited as inspirations. “It’s about the greatest of all time,” Fonseca said, defending his choices while emphasizing Federer’s unmatched artistry. The omission, intentional or not, has ignited discussions about Fonseca’s mindset and his burgeoning rivalry with the sport’s new guard.
Fonseca’s “perfect player” blueprint is a blend of iconic attributes: Federer’s forehand and finesse, Djokovic’s backhand and mental fortitude, Nadal’s topspin-heavy relentlessness, and Andy Murray’s defensive prowess. “Federer’s forehand, for sure—it’s pure art,” he enthused, highlighting the Swiss maestro’s elegance as a cornerstone. He paired it with Djokovic’s “unbreakable” mentality, noting, “People can say Djokovic is the best of all time, but for me, Federer is the greatest. Unmatched.” Nadal’s clay-court dominance and Murray’s return game rounded out his composite, a nod to the Big Four’s enduring influence. Yet, the absence of Sinner’s aggressive baseline game and Alcaraz’s all-court dynamism—qualities Fonseca has praised in the past—struck fans as curious, especially given his interactions with both at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals, where he served as a hitting partner.
The Brazilian’s meteoric rise has drawn inevitable comparisons to Sinner and Alcaraz, both Next Gen champions who ascended to world No. 1. Fonseca’s 2024 season was a breakout, with a maiden ATP title at the Argentina Open, a stunning upset over Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open, and a Next Gen Finals triumph in Jeddah, making him the second-youngest winner after Sinner. “I want to be like them,” Fonseca said in a September 2024 interview, admiring Sinner and Alcaraz’s Grand Slam exploits. His decision to skip them in his perfect player construct suggests a focus on historical giants, perhaps reflecting his reverence for the sport’s past over its present. “I’m building expectations; any kind of pressure motivates me,” he added recently, embracing the spotlight as he climbs to a career-high No. 68.
Fonseca’s choices also highlight his unique perspective as a player shaped by Brazil’s tennis heritage, with Gustavo Kuerten as a national idol. His forehand, clocking 113 mph against Ugo Humbert in Miami, evokes Kuerten’s flair, while his mental resilience mirrors Djokovic’s. “Technically, it’s definitely my forehand,” Fonseca said, a weapon that’s propelled him to the top 100, the youngest Brazilian to achieve the feat since Alcaraz in 2021. His Madrid campaign, following a first-round win, is a chance to build on his clay-court promise, with a potential third-round clash against Alcaraz looming if both advance. “We have a good relationship,” Fonseca noted of Alcaraz, recalling their training sessions, yet he’s driven to carve his own path.
The omission of Sinner and Alcaraz has sparked online chatter, with some fans on social platforms speculating it’s a subtle jab at his contemporaries. Others argue it’s a sign of Fonseca’s confidence, prioritizing his own style over mimicking peers. “I see myself playing major tournaments, Grand Slams,” he declared, signaling ambitions that rival those of Sinner, who praised his decision to turn pro over college, and Alcaraz, who called him a future top player after his Rublev upset. At 6’1”, with a 140 mph serve and a spin rate of 3,019 rpm, Fonseca’s game is a lethal blend, drawing comparisons to both Sinner’s precision and Alcaraz’s versatility.
As Madrid unfolds, Fonseca’s vision of the perfect player underscores his bold personality—a mix of reverence for legends and a hunger to challenge the present. Whether his exclusion of Sinner and Alcaraz was a calculated statement or an innocent oversight, it’s clear the Brazilian is ready to disrupt tennis’s hierarchy, one blistering forehand at a time.