Andre Agassi gives his take on whether Joao Fonseca can win a Grand Slam

Joao Fonseca’s season hasn’t started as well as he would have hoped, but Andre Agassi clearly still believes in his potential.

In fact, the 55-year-old couldn’t have spoken more highly of the 19-year-old when asked about him. Fonseca turned heads on the ATP Tour last year with a string of impressive wins and titles.

Climbing to a career-high ranking of 24th, many expected Fonseca to kick on in 2026 and start challenging the sport’s top players.

Andre Agassi was taken aback by Joao Fonseca after training session

Speaking to Veja magazine, Agassi spoke glowingly about the young Brazilian and was happy to back him when asked about what lies ahead.

The American shared a memory from their time together at the Laver Cup in 2025, saying: “I absolutely ADORE João! I couldn’t be more impressed with him on and off the court. He has a powerful arsenal and stays committed to his aggressive game, no matter the score or the situation—a trait that will serve him well as he climbs the rankings and progresses in bigger tournaments.

“More than that, I was struck by his maturity and professionalism off the court. He was like a sponge, soaking it all up. Obviously, he has some very good people around him.”

When asked if he saw Fonseca becoming a Grand Slam champion one day, Agassi replied: “I try to avoid making predictions. There are so many factors involved in winning seven best-of-five-set matches over two weeks. But he seems to have all the ingredients. I believe he can be a great champion, and I’m looking forward to following his progress.”

Andre Agassi reveals Joao Fonseca stunned him during training sessions

In a conversation with Veja magazine, the American legend spoke highly of Fonseca, sharing a story from their time together at the previous year’s Laver Cup.

Agassi said: “I absolutely ADORE João! I couldn’t be more impressed with him on and off the court. He has a powerful arsenal and stays committed to his aggressive game, no matter the score or the situation—a trait that will serve him well as he climbs the rankings and progresses in bigger tournaments.

“More than that, I was struck by his maturity and professionalism off the court. He was like a sponge, soaking it all up. Obviously, he has some very good people around him.”

Asked whether Fonseca had what it takes to become a Grand Slam champion one day, Agassi was cautious in his response:

“I try to avoid making predictions. There are so many factors involved in winning seven best-of-five-set matches over two weeks. But he seems to have all the ingredients. I believe he can be a great champion, and I’m looking forward to following his progress.”

A closer look at Joao Fonseca’s 2026 struggles so far

Fonseca might appreciate Agassi’s backing right now because things haven’t gone smoothly for him early in 2026.

This season was expected to be when he pushed into tennis’ top tier, especially with hopes of challenging Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

So far though, it seems like that goal is further away than ever before.

The start of this season hasn’t helped that narrative either. First-round exits at both the Australian Open and Buenos Aires Open raised concerns about where his game is heading.

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