Matching Report
Fonseca sets Alcaraz blockbuster in Miami: ‘It will be a great game’
#NextGenATP Brazilian beats Marozsan in three sets to reach R2
March 19, 2026
ATP Tour
Joao Fonseca playing with Fabian Marozsan on Thursday in Miami.
Written by Andy West
Joao Fonseca held on to win the big prize on Thursday at the Miami Open presented by Iau.
The #NextGenATP star cruised past Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in a hard-fought first round at the ATP Masters 1000 event. With his one-hour, 50-minute victory in front of a raucous Brazilian crowd, Fonseca set up a thrilling second-round match with PIF ATP Rankings No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. It will be the first pairing of the Lexus ATP Head2Head.
A blockbuster R2 matchup awaits 🍿@carlosalcaraz 🆚 Fonseca@MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/CB7UQZhFgj
– ATP Tour (@atptour) March 19, 2026
Fonseca’s Miami meeting with Alcaraz comes hot on the heels of the Brazilian’s first tour-level match with Jannik Sinner. Fonseca pushed Sinner to two sets a break last week when he competed in the fourth round of the Masters 1000 for the first time in Indian Wells. Fans can now look forward to seeing how the 19-year-old fares in his first meeting with the World No.
“I’m very happy,” said Fonseca, when asked about the possibility of facing Alcaraz. “I don’t know about the other players, but I’m looking forward to playing with the top players. I played with Jannik last tournament, and now I’m playing with Carlos. It’s just a great experience, so I’m looking forward to it and it’s going to be a great game. I hope I can get the win.”
Fonseca’s path to the second round and the opportunity to face Alcaraz was not straightforward inside the Hard Rock Stadium, where Marozsan took advantage of the Brazilian’s slump in the second set. However, the Hungarian underestimated his efforts at the start of the third game, producing three unforced errors in a row to give his opponent a break in the second game. From there, Fonseca channeled the continued support of the Brazilian team from the crowd to complete his victory.
Returning to the event where he reached the third round in 2025, Fonseca fired 12 aces and won 75 percent (48/64) of the points after his debut against Marozsan, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Although the two-time ATP Tour champion was inconsistent at times and produced 27 unforced errors in 22 winners, he produced several eye-catching moments of magic en route to victory.
“After a difficult second set where he played a little better and passed his shots, I played very well at the beginning of the third set,” reflected Fonseca. “That was a big difference. The crowd really helped me stay positive throughout the game, so I’m very happy with this win and hopefully I can continue to play like this in the tournament.”
