American ex-pro John Isner recently responded to a query about João Fonseca’s potential rise to the levels of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He expressed sheer optimism about the young champ’s improvement, predicting commendable results in the years to come. However, despite lauding the Brazilian player’s capability, he remained unsure about whether he could emerge as a major rival for Sinner and Alcaraz.
John Isner Turns Optimistic About João Fonseca’s Potential to Compete Against Alcaraz and Sinner
João Fonseca experienced a spectacular surge in 2025, where he climbed from just inside the Top 150 at the start of the year to an impressive career‑high world No. 48 by July 14, 2025. After breaking into the Top 100 in late January, he continued to shine with a string of strong performances.
Discussing his promising potential in a recent episode of the Nothing Major Podcast, former pro John Isner nodded to the fact that the Brazilian player has a chance to stand among the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
“I know we pump up Fonseca a lot, but for the sake of the health of our sport, and I actually do believe this, I’m going to say yes. I think he can he can catch up to these guys and get to the conversation. And I’m not saying it’s next year or the year after. I think in four or five years, he can be in the conversation where he is one of the top four favorites to win each slam he enters,” he said.
However, despite the optimistic approach, he also mentioned how there are limited chances of him being a direct rival to the top two ATP stars.
“But not to the level they’re at. Like, I think he can get to that level where he’s expected to make the final four of these grand slams. That’s my take. So, not to their level,” the Brazilian added.
Fonseca’s breakthrough came with a maiden ATP title at the Argentina Open in February, where he saved match points en route to the championship in Buenos Aires. Fonseca didn’t stop there as he captured an ATP Challenger 175 crown in Phoenix in March to reach No. 60.
He also attained commendable results in Grand Slam events, including a win over world No. 9 Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open, a third‑round run at Roland‑Garros, and a straight‑sets win on his Wimbledon debut.
Andy Roddick Challenges the Massive Hype Around João Fonseca
Not everyone thinks the same of João Fonseca’s future as John Isner does. Former American pro Andy Roddick recently used his experience to deny the overhype around the Brazilian player’s potential. He reconsidered Fonseca’s appearance at Roland Garros to pass a verdict in a recent episode of the Served podcast.
“Going into Roland Garros, he had lost, like, three straight first rounds, one in the challenger, and we’re on his first-round match, and they’re going, right, he’s one of the top five title contenders. I’m like, on what planet? Like, there’s a clear separation between popularity, and I think he’s gonna be… I buy the hype, right? I also don’t buy it immediately… Like, I mean, we got to just kind of like, take a beat,'” Roddick said.
After his last appearance at Wimbledon, Fonseca is now preparing himself to compete at the US Swing, starting with the Citi Open (ATP 500) in Washington, D.C.
