Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: 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. In front of a boisterous crowd, Alcaraz held his nerve to notch a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the pair’s first head-to-head meeting in this ATP 1000 event on March 20.
While the heavy Brazilian support roared on Fonseca as he went toe to toe with the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings, 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 since the beginning until the last ball. I know how good Joao is, and that’s why I was really focused, every point, every shot,” Alcaraz, who saved all three break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, said in an on-court interview.
“I’m just happy to stay calm, to stay positive in those moments. Most of the games, I just served pretty well, which was a really great weapon today for me,” the Spaniard was quoted as saying by the ATP on its official website.
Fonseca has now lost to Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz in consecutive ATP Masters 1000s, having been turned back 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. While Fonseca threatened in both matches, his raw power and fighting spirit were not enough to spring an upset.
