Stan Wawrinka says Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will face a different player as their main rival – and it’s not Rafael Nadal.
Stan ‘The Man’ Wawrinka, who won three Grand Slam titles during the era of the ‘Big 3,’ believes Joao Fonseca has what it takes to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour.
This prediction comes after Sinner recently ended his long partnership with coach Darren Cahill and started working with Magnus Norman, who used to coach Wawrinka himself. Under Norman’s guidance, Wawrinka won three Major titles in a row, beating Rafael Nadal once and Novak Djokovic twice in Grand Slam finals. Now, Wawrinka thinks Fonseca, who’s known for his strong game against top players like Djokovic, could become a real competitor alongside Alcaraz and Sinner.
While many expect Rafael Jodar, the first-ever player to qualify for the ATP Finals in his debut season, to be a strong contender, Wawrinka feels Fonseca will be the perfect rival for the duo of Sinner and Alcaraz. That said, with Norman now coaching Sinner, ‘Stanimal’ believes the Italian player will get stronger and tougher to beat, making life hard for the Brazilian star.
In a chat with Gazzetta, Wawrinka said, “Joao Fonseca is special: he has power, personality, and he really enjoys playing on the big stage. For me, I see myself a little in players who grow later and play strong, aggressive tennis. You don’t have to be a champion at 20. Sometimes it takes time to build confidence. That was true for me.”
Wawrinka won his Grand Slams at ages 28, 30, and 31, including a memorable Roland Garros victory over Djokovic in 2015. He also beat Nadal in Australia in 2014 and Djokovic again at the 2016 US Open. The only major he didn’t win was Wimbledon — where his doubles partner and friend, Roger Federer, won eight titles.
Fonseca already has a big win against Djokovic at Roland Garros. Although Djokovic isn’t at his peak these days, this showed Fonseca has serious potential. Earlier this year, after Sinner’s early loss at the French Open due to heat-stroke, Djokovic seemed ready to win his 25th Grand Slam. But in a surprise, Fonseca came back from two sets down to beat Djokovic in five sets.
That great performance might be why Wawrinka thinks Fonseca could someday compete with Alcaraz and Sinner for Grand Slam titles. While some wonder if Sinner can reach the success he had with Cahill, Wawrinka strongly believes the switch to Norman will help Sinner keep growing and keep his hunger to win.
He said, “Jannik made a great choice. Magnus is great at noticing small details and helping with the mental side of things—how to stay calm and focused when it matters. He brings fresh ideas and tons of Grand Slam experience. That could push Jannik even higher.”
Wawrinka praised Norman’s coaching style, saying he “really knows how to understand people. He knows when to push, when to stay quiet, and when to simply believe in you. For me, he gave me the confidence that I could win the biggest titles. That kind of belief is very rare.”
Sinner plans to return from injury in 2026 at the Six Kings Slam, though he will miss the ATP year-end Finals. Meanwhile, keep an eye on Fonseca — he might just be the next big name to shake up the tennis world!