After a blistering start to the year, which included defeating Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open and claiming the ATP Buenos Aires title, Joao Fonseca has experienced some ups and downs in performance.
His results reflected these fluctuations, including an exit in the third round of the Miami Masters 1000. The 18-year-old took a brief pause from competition and and returned to action at the Madrid Masters 1000, where he advanced past the first round with a win over Denmark’s Elmer Moller.
Ahead of his Madrid debut, Fonseca engaged in a fun exercise where he built his ideal tennis player. Unsurprisingly, his choices featured the “Big Three”—Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.
Fonseca highlighted the forehand of Juan Martin del Potro and the serve of Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. From Djokovic, he selected the backhand; from Federer, the volley and slice; and from Nadal, his movement and mental toughness.