Alcaraz's advice to Fonseca after defeating him: "He must learn to choose the correct option"

Carlos Alcaraz made a strong statement in his debut at the Miami Open 2026. The player from Murcia defeated Joao Fonseca and the entire Brazilian crowd that cheered him on relentlessly, somewhat "silencing" the deafening noise of the fans by showcasing excellent tennis. It was a tactical exhibition, a stellar performance that focused on depriving the Brazilian of what he likes: time and space to hit the ball standing still, preferably from the center of the court.

There was a unique anticipation surrounding this match, typical of a duel between potential future rivals in major tournaments. However, the result and course of the match showed that Fonseca, at this moment, is far from reaching the full range of skills and match management that Carlos can boast of... and no one better than Alcaraz himself to comment on the current situation of the Brazilian player. What can he do to elevate his tennis to another level? What troubled him in his game? By what means can he improve and make an important qualitative leap in the short term? In the post-match press conference, the player from Murcia did not shy away from these questions and showcased his wisest side to act as a mentor.

Alcaraz offered Fonseca an important piece of advice focused on shot selection: this is how he analyzed the Brazilian talent after defeating him in Miami

- Today, the fans were against you: is there a sense of satisfaction in "silencing" rival supporters with such outstanding tennis?

"I would like to say that it's not like the crowd was against me: they were simply supporting him. I think that's a big difference. Most of the match they were quite respectful, just supporting Joao when they needed to. It was fantastic; I enjoyed the atmosphere, such an environment in a second round of a Masters 1000. I believe the atmosphere was incredible, really. I didn't want to silence anyone. I wanted to play my game, do my job, and show my best level because I know what Joao is capable of on a tennis court. I tried to stay focused, not listening to the crowd noise, always moving forward. Proud to achieve it; at the same time, I had a great time in such a good atmosphere."

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- After facing Fonseca last year in an exhibition, this was the first official match between both players. Was there something about his game that surprised you?

"At times, he was able to hit a winning shot from the back of the court off a not very powerful ball or, for example, from a sliced ball just thrown, and from there pull out a winning shot out of nowhere. Sometimes that surprised me, honestly, because against other players I can return the next ball and get back into the point. Against him, it's a whole different story. You feel he can hit a winner from anywhere, and that's impressive. That's what surprised me the most. At the same time, I know what he is capable of. Great shots, a lot of power. Speaking of our first encounter, that was what struck me the most."

- After facing Sinner in Indian Wells and now Carlos in Miami... In what way can Joao, according to him, learn from these matches? What advice would you give him?

"I remember when I faced the best tennis player on the planet (Nadal, in Madrid) when I had just arrived on the circuit. That experience helped me a lot: it provided my team with the necessary feedback to know what to focus on and what to improve in training. I am convinced that he and his team have gathered that data they will now discuss, apply in training: they will focus on what needs improvement, how to handle certain situations.

He reminds me a lot of what I was like when I was his age and emerging on the circuit. I would say he should learn to choose the right option. Sometimes he misses some shots, or even many easy balls, because he doesn't choose the right shots, the ball to hit in certain situations. I am convinced he will grasp this shortly. Playing against the number one and two in the world in consecutive tournaments will give him the feedback he needs, and we will soon see him become much better."

- About his experience yesterday watching the Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers, with a historic performance by Luka Doncic (scored 60 points) from which, perhaps, he can draw inspiration

"I guess I benefited from his magic yesterday (smiles). I wouldn't say I draw inspiration from these things when I arrive at a tournament, but I do admire being lucky enough to witness things like what he did yesterday, making history with the Lakers. He practically makes history in every game he plays. I admire these players a lot, and fortunately, I had the chance to chat with him for a while. Hopefully, I have absorbed some of that magic and will display it throughout the tournament."

- An interesting question about why he lets opponents change sides first... he answered in the most genuine and sincere way possible

"It's not something I've been taught, honestly I don't think about it. I don't know, it's about being kind, I suppose, letting people go first. I do it on the court, I do it off the court, with my people, people go first anywhere I go. It's about being kind, nothing more, it's not something I dwell on."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El consejo de Alcaraz a Fonseca tras ganarle: "Debe aprender a elegir la opción correcta"