Joao Fonseca’s meteoric rise has captivated tennis fans worldwide. Following his Next Gen ATP Finals win, comparisons to ATP No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz have taken off. It mirrors the hype Alcaraz faced in 2021 after his maiden ATP title at Croatia Open Umag, during which he was dubbed the next Rafael Nadal. Spotting the pattern? While these comparisons are flattering, renowned journalist Jose Moron recently warned they could be a double-edged sword. On X, he noted, “Joao has a lot of work to do, but I hope it doesn’t affect him too much.” And WTA star Iga Swiatek couldn’t agree more!

Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion and self-proclaimed Rafa fan, knows the weight of expectations. Her dominance on clay and four Roland Garros titles have earned her the title “Queen of Clay” and lofty comparisons to Rafael Nadal, who also won his first French Open at 19. Reflecting on this, she once said, “We will see in 14 years if the journey is similar, I mean it’s obviously very nice to me. I would never expect anyone to compare me to Rafa because for me he is above everybody and he is a total legend.” Now sharing her thoughts on Joao, she echoed a similar sentiment.

Speaking to ESPN Brasil on March 6, Swiatek called Joao “amazing” but admitted she hasn’t followed ATP much since Rafa retired: “When Rafa retired, I haven’t been watching much of ATP. But I always follow Carlos Alcaraz, and I had trouble finding other players who really struck me, and I really love their game. And then I watch Joao, and I really enjoy how he plays, how he moves, what kind of decisions he makes on court.” Looks like Swaitek is on board to support Joao!

And why wouldn’t she? At just 18, Joao clinched his first ATP title at the Argentina Open in February 2025, defeating Francisco Cerundolo to become the youngest South American champion. Earlier, he stunned Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open and pushed Lorenzo Sonego to five sets in the fourth round. Add his 2023 US Open junior title and a dominant Rio Open win over Arthur Fils—Fonseca’s rise is electrifying! Even Swiatek is now watching ATP matches because of him.

Still, Swiatek hopes fans ease up on the pressure. “He’s doing great, and there’s a lot of pressure on him,” she said. “I hope Brazilian fans take it easy because he’s still young, he has time to develop. So I think enough of peace of mind; step by step, he’s going to become a great player.” With such promise already shown, Joao has plenty of time to prove himself—and even ATP’s World No. 2 is smitten by his game!

The ATP fraternity can’t help but praise Joao’s talent

Joao Fonseca has been turning heads on the ATP tour, and tennis stars are taking notice. Ahead of his Round of 64 match at Indian Wells, Alexander Zverev praised the young Brazilian, saying, “He’s very young, very, very talented, he’s going to be a great player, for sure. I think he can be top 10 and maybe even further than that. But yeah, I think when you’re young, you’re kind of swinging freely, you’re enjoying your time on the professional circuit for the first time, and there is no pressure. So, yeah, I like what I’m seeing from him. I think he’s a great player.” 

It’s not just Zverev who’s impressed. Novak Djokovic also recognized Fonseca’s potential earlier this year in Melbourne. “I’ve been following his rise, and I just love how he plays the big points. Courageous, very clean hitter, all-around player,” Djokovic noted. Even Djokovic’s coach, Andy Murray, is a fan. After Fonseca’s historic win at the Argentina Open in February—where he became the youngest South American ATP champion at 18—Murray took to X to share his excitement: “Can’t wait for the first Fonseca vs Alcaraz match.”

Now, Fonseca is gearing up for his Indian Wells debut after a mixed run. He claimed his first ATP title in Buenos Aires but fell early at the Rio Open to Alexandre Muller. As he steps onto the Californian courts for the Sunshine Double, will he continue to shine under the spotlight? Share your thoughts in the comments below!