"He’s a top 5 contender... on what planet?": Andy Roddick urges patience on with Joao Fonseca

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick has requested for calm surrounding the hype around rising Brazilian phenomenon Joao Fonseca.

Speaking on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the former world number one admitted he’s "buying the hype" around Fonseca, but not to the extent that some pundits and fans already are.

Referring to wild predictions ahead of Roland Garros, Roddick said: "Going into Roland Garros, he had lost, like, three straight first rounds, one in the challenger, and we’re on his first-round match, and they’re going, right, he’s one of the top five title contenders. I’m like, on what planet?" expressing disbelief at the lofty expectations being thrown on a player so new to the tour.

Fonseca, just 18, has been making headlines across the globe for his explosive forehand and electric energy on court. A rising star from Brazil, he’s already drawn comparisons to the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. But while his potential is undeniable, Roddick believes the hype is getting ahead of itself.

Roddick also stated, "Also, like, okay, he draws huge crowds in Miami. That doesn’t automatically expedite the learning curve for him because people are interested in him. Like, there’s a clear separation between popularity, and I think he’s gonna be… I buy the hype, right? I also don’t buy it immediately... Like, I mean, we got to just kind of like, take a beat.".

The issue, as Roddick sees it, lies in a wider pattern, one that’s all too common in modern tennis. Young talent is hyped to the heavens, hailed as the next big thing, only to be met with criticism and scrutiny when immediate results do not materialise. It is a cycle of build-up and teardown, and Fonseca appears to be its latest victim. That said, Roddick is not dismissing Fonseca’s future. Far from it.

He pointed to the trajectories of players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as a guide to how rising stars need time to grow into their games. He recalled, "But, to the point, we’ve seen these guys, whether it’s Rafa or Alcaraz breaking through, and Sinner’s a good example, because I have it underlined here. Remember when the narrative was that he can’t win a big match? Do you remember that? Way back when, like, four years ago?".

The American hall of famer continued by saying, "You know, and so we just need some time and some patience. We don’t need Fonseca to be max Fonseca in the next three months. Like, it will take a little bit of time, even though we’ve been spoiled, in the best possible way.".

Indeed, the breakout success of Alcaraz, who won a Grand Slam at 19, and Sinner, now one of the sport’s most formidable players, has perhaps distorted what a “normal” development arc should look like.

It is important to remember: Alcaraz lost in the second round of his Australian Open debut at 17. Sinner, too, made his first major main draw appearance at 17, losing in the first round of the US Open.

Fonseca, for his part, has already managed to go one better. Earlier this year, he beat top-10 player Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open, an astonishing feat for a teenager, and lost in the second round. At the same age, Alcaraz had not yet registered a top-10 win.

Such achievements hint at a bright future. However, Roddick urges fans and pundits alike not to get carried away by the moment. Patience, he says, is key.

Nevertheless, with the North American hard court swing approaching, Fonseca will be looking to continue to develop before the US Open gets underway.