Carlos Alcaraz beats Joao Fonseca in straight sets at Miami Open
World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz defeated rising Brazilian Joao Fonseca in straight sets at the Miami Open, showcasing his experience and control. The Spaniard saved key break points and advanced to the third round, continuing his strong season form
Miami: The first meeting with a rising star can be tricky, as one does not know what to expect. However, World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz did not encounter much trouble in halting the progress of teenager Joao Fonseca with a straight-sets win at the Miami Open.
Alcaraz and Fonseca both produced a booming sound when they connected with the ball on their ferocious shots. But that was no match for the noise on Friday night on the stadium court at the Miami Open.
In front of a boisterous crowd, Alcaraz held his nerve to notch a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the pair’s first ATP head-to-head meeting. While the heavy Brazilian support roared for Fonseca, Alcaraz’s experience and maturity helped him navigate a spirited challenge from the 19-year-old.
“I think I was really good in crucial moments. I was really good from the beginning until the last ball. I know how good Joao is, and that’s why I was really focused on every point, every shot,” Alcaraz, who saved all three break points he faced, said in an on-court interview.
“I’m just happy to stay calm, to stay positive in those moments. In most of the games, I served pretty well, which was a great weapon today for me,” the Spaniard was quoted as saying by the ATP website.
Fonseca has now lost to Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz in consecutive ATP Masters 1000 events, having been beaten in two tie-breaks by eventual champion Sinner earlier this month in Indian Wells. On both occasions, the Brazilian showed why many have tipped him to rival those stars atop the ATP rankings over the next decade.
“For him, playing toe to toe with us, I think he and his team are going to get great feedback to know what he should improve in the future,” said Alcaraz, who recalled the learning experience of his first match against Rafael Nadal in Madrid in 2021.
Alcaraz, who suffered his first loss of the season to Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semi-finals, returned to winning ways and improved to 17-1 this season and 73-6 since his opening-match defeat to David Goffin last year in Miami. The Spaniard has reached at least the semi-finals in 13 of the past 14 tournaments he has played since that loss.
In an electric Miami atmosphere, Alcaraz blunted Fonseca’s aggressive game by controlling the middle of the court and dominating on his first serve, winning 80 per cent of points behind his first delivery.
Next up for the top seed is a third-round meeting with Sebastian Korda. The 32nd-seeded American beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-0, 6-3 earlier on Friday to open his Miami campaign.
