Favorite João Fonseca? Former tennis players give their opinion on the moment at Roland Garros

João Fonseca faces another tough battle at Roland Garros this Tuesday (2). This time, the opponent will be Czech Jakub Mensik, in the quarterfinals. And the Brazilian is considered favorite for the confrontation.

Former tennis player Dadá Vieira sees the Czech as a "very tough opponent", but points out the reasons for João Fonseca's favoritism on French clay

"I see João coming in very strong. He is very confident after the victories over Djokovic and Casper Ruud. Playing again at night also helps, because he seems increasingly comfortable in this environment. Mensik has a great ranking, performs better on hard courts and will be a very tough opponent, but, on clay, I see an advantage for João. Due to the moment and the confidence, I'm betting on João", said the current ESPN commentator.

Tennis player André Ghem recalled the Brazilian's victory over Mensik in 2024 and drew a parallel between the duels won by João at Roland Garros so far with the quarter-final clash.

"João is coming off matches against two true 'chess players' in tennis, players with very different reading skills, while this opponent, in theory, thinks less about the game. Of course there is a different nervousness, but now it's time to take advantage of all the confidence he has built, channel that energy and go for it. He already beat this opponent in 2024, at the Next Gen Finals, so he has the conditions to win again, make history and stay alive. The dream continues", he declared.

João Fonseca and Jakub Mensik face each other on the Philippe-Chatrier court, the main court of the French Open, no earlier than 3:15 pm (Brasília time).

Where to watch João Fonseca x Jakub Mensik

- TV: ESPN 2
- Streaming: Disney+

João Fonseca x Jakub Mensik specifications

- Date: 06/02/2026
- Time: no earlier than 3:15 pm (Brasília time)
- Location: Court Philippe-Chatrier
- Stage: quarter-finals

Source: CNN