Carlos Alcaraz Believes Joao Fonseca Has a Lot to Improve on After Their Clash in Miami

Carlos Alcaraz to face Sebastian Korda in the third round of the Miami Open.

Carlos Alcaraz Believes Joao Fonseca Has a Lot to Improve on After Their Clash in Miami

Carlos Alcaraz, Joao Fonseca (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Everything Joao Fonseca)

In Short
  • Carlos Alcaraz defeated Joao Fonseca 4-6, 4-6 at the Miami Open, denying Fonseca his first top 5 win.
  • Alcaraz praised Fonseca's potential but emphasized the need for improvement in his game.
  • Alcaraz will face Sebastian Korda in the third round, holding a 4-1 lead in their head-to-head record.

Carlos Alcaraz quashed any hopes of Joao Fonseca claiming his first top 5 win on tour. Despite a good fight from Fonseca, the 22-year-old gave the teenage sensation no chance of claiming a victory. Alcaraz admitted after the match that the 19-year-old has what it takes to be a top player but has to improve on certain aspects of his game.

Fonseca fell to Alcaraz 4-6, 4-6, on Friday (March 20) at the Miami Open, less than two weeks after Jannik Sinner defeated him. 7-6(6), 7-6(4) in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open in California. In both matches, Fonseca showed determination and grit, but the two players were experienced enough to exploit his weaknesses.

Alcaraz looked excited when he faced Fonseca in Florida, as he was composed under pressure, saving three break points to win the match. Alcaraz, who understands what it means to be a young star in the men’s circuit, knows that an even tougher test may await him in the second showdown against Fonseca.

The losses against Sinner and Alcaraz might provide the perfect lesson for development on tour. After Fonseca’s loss, Alcaraz pointed out during the on-court interview that he remembered when he faced his idol, Rafael Nadal, for the first time on tour at the 2021 Madrid Open. He recounted that Nadal blew him away 6-1, 6-2.

But one year later, Alcaraz scored his first and only win against Nadal in three sets in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open. The World No.1 then went to beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals in three sets before breezing past Alexander Zverev in the final. That year, he went on to become the youngest World No.1 at age 19:

Well I do remember when I played Rafa Nadal for the first time in Madrid. I remember how good that match was for me.. Even though I was destroyed. I would say for him playing toe to toe with us, he’s gonna get great feedback from his team. They’re gonna know what he should improve in the future. He has everything. Great shots. A lot of things to improve. But I’m pretty sure he’s gonna do it. Back to back tournaments playing against No.1 and No.2 in the world is gonna be really helpful for him.

Fonseca began the season on a poor note but has been on a good run of form since the Indian Wells Open. Before March, he had just one win in three tournaments and didn’t get past the first round of the Australian Open. He also failed to defend the Argentina Open title in February.

Carlos Alcaraz lauds his composure after win against Joao Fonseca

Carlos Alcaraz entered the Miami Open with the intention not to allow what happened last year to repeat itself. In 2025, he lost to Jack Draper in the semi-finals of the Indian Wells and arrived in Miami not at his best level, which led him to suffer an opening match loss against David Goffin. But the loss gave him the fire for his excellent clay-court season.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K)

But he didn’t want to relax at the Miami Open as he aims to win his third title at the tournament. He has not been to the final of the Miami Open since winning in 2022. After beating Joao Fonseca, Alcaraz admitted in his press conference that he was happy he stayed calm throughout the match, which helped him claim the win:

I think I was really good in crucial moments. I was really good since the beginning until the last ball. I know how good Joao is, and that’s why I was really focused, every point, every shot. I’m just happy to stay calm, to stay positive in those moments. Most of the games, I just served pretty well, which was a really great weapon today for me.

Alcaraz will face Sebastian Korda in the third round of the Miami Open. He holds a strong 4-1 lead against the American star on tour. The last time they met was at the 2024 Roland Garros, which Alcaraz won in straight sets. Korda’s only victory came at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2022.

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