Former Grand Slam Finalist Compares Joao Fonseca to Alexander Zverev as He Can’t Foresee Him Challenge Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz Dominance

Joao Fonseca has never locked horns with World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and World No.2 Jannik Sinner in official events.

Former Grand Slam Finalist Compares Joao Fonseca to Alexander Zverev as He Can’t Foresee Him Challenge Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz Dominance

L-R: Jannik Sinner, Joao Fonseca, Carlos Alcaraz (Images via ATP/X)

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Joao Fonseca is expected to break the dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and join them to form another Big 3 of tennis. But former Grand Slam finalist, Greg Rusedski, doesn’t think Fonseca has the ability to do that in the future.

Fonseca, after winning the 2024 ATP Finals, clinched his career’s first ATP title at the Argentina Open by defeating home favorite Francisco Cerundolo. Later at the Swiss Indoors, he beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to win his career’s first ATP 500 title.

At the age of 19, Alcaraz scripted history by becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to reach the No.1 ranking following his win at the 2022 US Open. Rusedski thinks Fonseca has not yet shown the same potential Sinner and Alcaraz showed during their teen years, comparing him to Alexander Zverev, who has not yet won a Major.

Fonseca, to me, I am not seeing it yet. He played great in Australia at the beginning of the year and beat Rublev, and it was like: ‘Wow, who is this kid?’ But people have figured him out. They have figured out how to break him down now. He is still young, and there is time, but he is still too green, as I like to call it. There is still a long developmental period of at least two years before we see what he is made of.

Greg Rusedski said on his Off Court with Greg podcast

Fonseca has never met Sinner or Alcaraz in official events. But the 19-year-old faced the six-time Grand Slam champion in an exhibition event in Miami, where he lost the match in three sets.

He is not like when I saw Carlos as a 15-year-old, or I saw Jannik. Everybody is talking about him. But remember [Alexander] Zverev, everyone was saying he is the next heir. But lo and behold, the big three go, and then Carlos and Sinner show up.

Greg Rusedski added

In Grand Slam events this year, the Brazilian, after making his main draw debut at the Australian, ended up featuring in the main draw events of the remaining three Majors. But Sinner and Alcaraz finished the season with a combined 14 titles from 22 finals, including the four Majors.

Juan Carlos Ferrero on what he is the most proud of as Carlos Alcaraz’s coach

Juan Carlos Ferrero has split with Carlos Alcaraz, and following the breakup, the former sat for an interview with Marca during which he revealed the reason why the partnership ended. He also was asked what he was the most proud of while coaching his now ex-protege.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/AllAboutHQ)

That I gave it my all. I poured my heart and soul into this project. I think I invested a huge amount of time, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of work, and I think it was important to find the team and the people who let me do it. In the end, I’m incredibly grateful for something like this. When we come in, at 15 years old, you see the player, you see how good he is, you see the potential, but you don’t imagine everything that’s to come.

Ferrero joined Alcaraz’s team in 2019 when the player was just 16. The 45-year-old guided Alcaraz to 24 tour-level titles, including six Majors.

Alcaraz’s next goal is to complete the Career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open. The Murcia-native has never reached the semifinals, losing twice in the quarterfinals in 2024 and 2025, to Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, respectively.

This season, Alcaraz won eight trophies from 11 finals. Five of them were Big Titles he lifted at the Monte Carlo Masters, Italian Open, French Open, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open.

Also read: Junior Tennis Player Shares Anecdote About Novak Djokovic’s ‘Aura’: “There Was Absolute Silence”