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Joao Fonseca met Jannik Sinner for the first time at Indian Wells, falling in two tight sets, 6-7 (6-8), 6-7 (4-7).
He then took on Carlos Alcaraz at the Miami Open, where he lost in straight sets, 4-6, 4-6.
Afterwards, he said that Sinner was ‘more like a robot’ compared to Alcaraz.
Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou has now weighed in on what Fonseca had to say.
Patrick Mouratoglou was surprised to hear Joao Fonseca publicly compare Jannik Sinner to a robot
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Mouratoglou responded to Fonseca’s comments on Instagram.
“I feel the opinion of Joao Fonseca on [Carlos] Alcaraz and [Jannik] Sinner after playing them back to back is very interesting,” said Mouratoglou.
“Carlos is incredibly creative, and he has an incredible arsenal, as Joao [Fonseca] says.
“We’ve seen that when he ‘overdoses’ on tennis, he loses his creativity.
“He’s up and down, he makes many more unforced errors, and then he’s not the same player anymore.
“On the other hand, you have Jannik Sinner. I understand what Joao means by saying he is like a robot; it’s just a feeling he has.
“A guy who hits the ball incredibly on both sides, taking the ball super early, and he almost never misses.”
The Frenchman did, however, admit that he was surprised by what Fonseca said.
“Am I surprised by Joao saying this? Yes, a little bit,” said Mouratoglou.
Mouratoglou praised Fonseca for giving his honest view of Sinner and Alcaraz after facing them consecutively.
Mouratoglou also pointed out that while Sinner was more consistent than Alcaraz last year – especially when not fatigued – Sinner maintained his high level throughout 2024. {{SHORTS_YOUTUBE_EMBED}}
Joao Fonseca could face Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner early at the Monte Carlo Masters
The 2026 clay-court season is set to get underway at the Monte Carlo Masters, with all three players expected to be in the draw.
Alcaraz and Sinner, holding the top two seeds, are on course to meet in the final. But Fonseca could cross paths with either of them much sooner.
Fonseca, currently ranked 40th in the world, enters Monte Carlo unseeded, which means he could draw Alcaraz or Sinner as early as the opening round.
While he didn’t manage a win against them during their recent American hard court meetings, Fonseca showed enough in those contests to suggest he’s closing the gap.
He’ll be eager for another shot on clay – a surface that suits his game and where he picked up his first ATP title last year.
The Brazilian has been widely tipped as a future member of a new ‘big three’ alongside Alcaraz and Sinner. When he burst onto the scene at last year’s Australian Open, many believed Grand Slam titles were just a matter of time.
A year later, though he has two ATP titles to his name, Fonseca hasn’t quite lived up to those lofty expectations just yet. Consistency has been an issue; early exits have become a recurring theme this season.
This clay swing presents an opportunity for him to find some form again and start climbing back towards that top 30 ranking. And maybe beyond that down the road.
But before thinking too far ahead, focus will be key. His immediate goal should be putting together a strong showing in Monte Carlo – his debut appearance there.
The tournament gets started on Monday 6 April 2026. And for Joao Fonseca, it feels like an important stretch lies ahead as he looks to build momentum again this spring.
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