MIAMI — Carlos Alcaraz and Joao Fonseca will face each other in the second round and it is hard to imagine a match with greater magnetism at the start of any tournament. Miami will witness a highly anticipated clash.
The Spaniard is the best player to emerge after the Big Three era; the Brazilian is widely seen as the one capable of breaking into the duopoly now shared by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Spectacle is guaranteed at Hard Rock Stadium.
“I want to test myself against them, see where my level is, what they do differently, how they handle pressure. That’s how I learn,” said the Brazilian after defeating Hungary’s Fábián Marozsán 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in his opening match.
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While Fonseca was preparing to step onto the main court for his debut, Alcaraz was holding his first press conference in Miami, wearing a Brazilian national team football shirt. A deliberate gesture?
“Just before my match, he walked into the locker room wearing his Brazilian shirt. I told him, ‘Wait, what is that shirt?’ It was a funny moment. He’s a nice guy,” Fonseca said with a laugh after winning a match in which he received strong support from Brazilian fans, who are especially numerous in Miami: “I hope the crowd will be loud.”
The North American Masters 1000 swing is giving the 19-year-old the matchups both he and the fans had been waiting for. In Indian Wells he lost a very tight match against Sinner, and in the Miami Open he will face for the first time the youngest champion to win all four Grand Slams.
“When I played Sinner, I left the court thinking I had played good tennis. I faced the world No. 2, had set points, had opportunities. Then you think about what you could have done better. For me it was almost one of my best matches. Playing against top-five players makes you reflect a lot.”
Carlos Alcaraz at the press conference right now, wearing Brazilian t-shirt🇧🇷preparing to win more Brazilian crowd before tomorrow’s possible match against Fonseca?👀😄 @BBTennis_tv pic.twitter.com/iKESkaH1S7
— Lina Shokh (@LinaShokh) March 19, 2026
“Facing those guys is important for my development,” Fonseca added.
The Basel ATP 500 champion values the confidence with which he approaches the match against Alcaraz, but insists on maintaining perspective: “I’m a top-40 player facing the world No. 1 — he’s the clear favourite. I’m the underdog, but I have to believe I can win. That’s the mentality I need to take onto the court… otherwise I won’t have any chance.”
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