At just 19 years and 4 months old, Carlos Alcaraz was already sitting on top of the tennis world when he won the 2022 US Open. He became the youngest World No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history, a benchmark that has inspired Joao Fonseca to reach himself.

After the 19-year-old withdrew from defending his title at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah due to injury, Fonseca is set to face Alcaraz for the first time on December 8 at the Miami Invitational exhibition event. And even before the match could start, the young Brazilian has already praised Alcaraz and opened up about how watching the current World No. 1 has influenced his own approach to the sport.

Earlier today, @fonsecadailyy shared on X what Joao Fonseca told SportTV when asked about training with Alcaraz during last year’s Wimbledon.

“He’s so important to our sport, and just being there, experiencing that moment with him meant a lot to me.”

Later, the Brazilian, who’s already viewed as a rising force with the potential to become one of Carlos Alcaraz’s toughest rivals in the coming years, reflected on the Spaniard’s importance in today’s game.

“Watching his routine, seeing how he prepares for matches, that was really valuable for my own growth,” he explained. “And receiving a compliment from him recently, like you mentioned, that’s something really important that helps me keep going and keep believing.”

And in case you don’t remember, Carlos Alcaraz has been openly impressed with his younger opponent, and ahead of the Miami Invitational, the top-ranked star didn’t hesitate to praise him.

“He’s a special and incredible player. The power he has is impressive, his serve is very good,” he told O Globo.

Alcaraz even pointed out that Fonseca already has tools he himself struggled with early in his own career.

The Spaniard continued his praise, saying, “What Joao has done this year is truly impressive. Reaching the top 25 in his first year on the ATP is very impressive.”

When asked about Fonseca’s long-term potential, Alcaraz didn’t shy away from letting out the big question: “Will he reach the top three?” Still, he acknowledged the difference between rising to that level and maintaining it over time.

Alcaraz also believes Joao Fonseca has the talent to “change levels over the next two years” if he keeps progressing.

And it’s not just Alcaraz who sees something special brewing. A 22-time Grand Slam champion has echoed the same sentiment, expressing some confidence in Joao Fonseca, but not completely convinced yet.

Can Joao Fonseca push Alcaraz and Sinner to their limits?

In a recent interview on El Larguero, Rafael Nadal spoke candidly about the need for someone to shake up the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. This season, the two young stars swept all four majors and combined for 14 titles (eight for Alcaraz and six for Sinner). Their level has been so high that Nadal believes the tour needs a fresh challenger to keep things competitive.

During the conversation, Nadal brought up Joao Fonseca. Despite the Brazilian’s impressive season, the 22-time Grand Slam champion doesn’t feel Fonseca is quite ready to push Alcaraz and Sinner. As reported by Cadena SER, Nadal said he watches matches when he feels like it, and while he sees the need for a new rival, he doesn’t think Fonseca is at that point just yet.

Nadal explained, “I think Sinner and Alcaraz need someone to push them… Fonseca? I think he’s still young and not in a position to think about that.”

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He added that the duo has separated themselves from the rest of the field in a way that makes them dangerous on any given day.

“They need someone to challenge them a bit because they’ve set themselves apart from everyone else, and in any form they can beat anyone, until they run into that other player.”

For now, all eyes turn to the upcoming showdown to see how well Joao Fonseca performs against Carlos Alcaraz in just a few days. That said, do you think Joao Fonseca has what it takes to become a long-term rival to Carlos Alcaraz, or is Nadal right to be skeptical?