Joao Fonseca's team names surprising reason for his Shanghai Masters withdrawal

Scheduling decisions are crucial for young players trying to reach the top, and Joao Fonseca and his team have made a surprising move.

Fonseca is tipped by many to be a future multiple-time Grand Slam champion. The 19-year-old possesses an explosive game, including one of the most powerful forehands ever seen in tennis, that thrills fans.

The Brazilian won his maiden ATP title at the 2025 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on clay. That run and his style of play won him new fans beyond his countrymen and women, who vocally back him during matches.

Although Fonseca has not been entirely consistent since triumphing in Buenos Aires, that is understandable for someone so new to the ATP Tour. He needs more match practice and consistent work off the court.

Fonseca's most recent appearances were representing Brazil in the 2025 Davis Cup second round and then playing for Team World in the 2025 Laver Cup, which ended in a 15-9 victory and regaining the trophy from the Europeans.

Most eligible players are committed to competing at the 2025 Shanghai Masters, which begins on Wednesday. That includes Novak Djokovic, who wanted to appear at the tournament despite playing a much lighter schedule during the past few years.

Surprisingly, Fonseca will not appear in Shanghai. It was not immediately clear why the teenager elected not to play at the penultimate Masters 1000 tournament of the season, with so many points on offer.

Fonseca's team has since explained that he has no physical issue, and they collectively decided to skip the Shanghai Masters so he could have more preparation time for the European indoor hard court tournaments that follow.

The hard-hitting Brazilian is scheduled to play at the 2025 European Open in Brussels, starting October 13th, and the following week's 2025 Vienna Open, both played on indoor hard courts.

Fonseca's team members made the move with his long-term career in mind. It might be because the young star did not grow up on indoor hard courts, and they wanted to keep building momentum in those conditions after he competed at the Laver Cup in an indoor arena.

The Argentina Open champion's body is also still developing. Many young players have been burdened by injuries from a young age, and it is crucial to take the right steps to avoid any issues in the future.

Although Fonseca's involvement would have enhanced the event, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic's involvement is the most pivotal for tournament organizers, and they will play at the Chinese tournament.

Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated men's tennis since the start of 2024, splitting the last eight Grand Slams between them. Djokovic's last major title was the 2023 US Open, but he is the most iconic active player.

After losing to either Sinner or Alcaraz at the last three Grand Slams, Djokovic said at the 2025 US Open that he thinks he may have a better chance against them over three sets. The Serbian can try to put that theory to the test in Shanghai.