"I see Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz in their rivalry, that’s where I want to go" - Roger Federer-backed Joao Fonseca on his tennis intentions
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s rise has begun to inspire the Next Gen stars, and Brazil’s Joao Fonseca believes he is ready to follow in the duo’s footsteps. Sponsored by Roger Federer-backed On, the teenager is in the midst of a transition onto the senior circuit.
Fonseca is currently representing Brazil in the Davis Cup, where he went 2-1 in the league matches. In a recent interview with Clay Tenis, the youngster opened up about his tennis ambitions and being inspired by his contemporaries.
Speaking about Sinner and Alcaraz, who between them swept the season’s Grand Slam titles, Fonseca said watching the two compete at the highest level not only inspires him to work even harder in his pursuits but also to expand his ambitions.
Fonseca said,
"I see them in their rivalry and that’s where I want to go. Sometimes I think, ‘I’m going to aim for top 100, top 50’. No. I’m going to look at them. I want to be like them.
"I want to win Grand Slams and other big tournaments. Alcaraz and Sinner serve as inspiration and motivation to keep working harder and harder."
The Brazilian also elaborated on his relationship with Alcaraz, saying that the two always catch up whenever they run into each other. He went on to dub him an idol for the newer crop of players.
"We have a good relationship, we always talk when we meet. He and his team are very calm, he is doing things well. He is an idol for the whole next generation."
Joao Fonseca on possibility of being in same league as Jannik Sinner & Carlos Alcaraz
being asked about the possibility of forming a ‘Big 3’ - akin to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic - alongside Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the future, Joao Fonseca said it was difficult to talk about the future but that level is what he aims to achieve.
The youngster said he believes in putting in the hard work and looking for results to flow from that.
"It’s hard to talk about that, but that’s where I want to go. It’s not something I think about, it’s just going to be a consequence of my work," Joao Fonseca
Foncesa is currently ranked sixth in the Race to the Next Generation ATP Finals, the season-ending tournament for the year's eight highest-ranked Under-20 players. He is backed by On and Team8, both companies in which Roger Federer has ownership stakes. The youngster revealed that while he is yet to meet the Swiss legend, Federer did send him a video message after the 2023 US Open juniors win.