World number one Carlos Alcaraz opened his Miami Open campaign with a hard-fought victory over 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca on Friday night.
The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-4 in their first-ever ATP Head-to-Head meeting.
Both players displayed aggressive tennis, thrilling fans with powerful rallies and booming shots. Fonseca earned strong support from Brazilian spectators as he fought with intensity, but Alcaraz’s maturity and composure proved decisive.
After the match, Alcaraz praised his opponent and reflected on his own performance. “I was really good in crucial moments. I stayed calm and positive, and my serve worked well as a weapon today,” he said. He acknowledged Fonseca’s talent and predicted steady improvement for the youngster.
Fonseca has now faced both world number one Alcaraz and world number two Jannik Sinner in successive ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. He pushed Sinner to two tie-breaks at Indian Wells before losing, and his spirited fight against Alcaraz further showcased his raw power and fearless style.
Alcaraz compared Fonseca’s rise to his own early battles against Rafael Nadal in 2021, noting that such experiences help young players identify areas for growth. “Back-to-back tournaments against the top two players will be very helpful for him,” Alcaraz added.
The Miami Open campaign continues for Alcaraz with a second-round clash against American Sebastian Korda, seeded 32nd, who defeated Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-0, 6-3. Alcaraz enters the match with a 17-1 record this season, bouncing back after his semifinal loss to Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells. Since his first-round exit in Miami in 2021, he has compiled 73 wins and only six losses, reaching at least the semifinals in 13 of his last 14 tournaments.
