Learner Tien has reason to be aggrieved as Joao Fonseca receives ‘breakthrough’ nomination

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Joao Fonseca has been nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award 2026.

The award honors the achievements of individuals or teams who deliver breakthrough performances in the world of sports.

Previous winners include Rafael Nadal, Lewis Hamilton, Rory McIlroy, and Carlos Alcaraz.

Where do you think Joao Fonseca will be ranked at the end of the 2026 season?

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Fonseca is the only tennis player to have been nominated for this year’s award.

The likes of Victoria Mboko, Jakub Mensik, Mirra Andreeva, and Learner Tien, who all enjoyed ‘breakthrough’ years in 2025, might have been better choices…

Why Joao Fonseca was the wrong choice for ‘breakthrough’ nomination

There’s no doubt that Fonseca is one of the brightest prospects in tennis.

However, there is also an argument to suggest he is one of the more ‘overrated’ players in the sport.

While the Brazilian has shown promise at times and did indeed enjoy a ‘breakthrough’ 2025 season, Fonseca is far from the finished product.

Which Grand Slam title would you like to see Joao Fonseca win?

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He has struggled to find any real consistency and has failed to deliver performances worthy of the hype on several occasions.

Despite having a fan base that many top-10 players could only dream of, for now, Fonseca’s top-10 dream is just that, a dream.

The 19-year-old, for better or for worse, has been closely compared with another youngster, Tien, since they both impressed at the 2025 Australian Open.

At the time, Fonseca looked the better prospect, having beaten Tien at the previous year’s Next Gen Finals.

But as we head into Indian Wells, Tien is not only ranked higher than Fonseca, but looks better-placed to launch an assault on the top-10.

Comparing Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien

Looking at those numbers, you’d be forgiven for questioning why Tien was snubbed for the ‘breakthrough’ nomination.

And it’s not just Tien who has a reason to feel aggrieved, as several players on both the ATP and WTA Tours enjoyed great breakthrough seasons in 2025.

Players who enjoyed ‘breakthrough’ years in 2025

Canada’s Victoria Mboko jumped over 300 places in the world rankings (more than Fonseca and Tien) and won the Canadian Open (a bigger title than Fonseca and Tien won) in 2025.

If any tennis player deserved the nomination, perhaps it should’ve been her…

Will Joao Fonseca win the ‘Breakthrough of the Year’ award?

Whether Fonseca deserved the nomination or not is, in reality, irrelevant.

But will we win the award?

2026 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award nominees

Looking at the other nominees, you’d probably say no.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lando Norris both won world titles in their respective sports last year.

And if you’re looking for a real story, you look no further than 13-year-old Yu Zidi, who swam for China at the World Championships last year.

However, if Fonseca were to pull off the upset and win the award, he’d join an illustrious group.

Last 10 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award winners

• 2025 – Lamine Yamal (Football)
• 2024 – Jude Bellingham (Football)
• 2023 – Carlos Alcaraz (Tennis)
• 2022 – Emma Raducanu (Tennis)
• 2021 – Patrick Mahomes (American Football)
• 2020 – Egan Bernal (Cycling)
• 2019 – Naomi Osaka (Tennis)
• 2018 – Sergio Garcia (Golf)
• 2017 – Nico Rosberg (Formula One)
• 2016 – Jordan Spieth (Golf)

Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu were the last two tennis players to win the award.

Will Fonseca become the latest tennis player to win the ‘Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award’? Only time will tell.

The 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards will take place in Madrid, Spain, on Monday, April 20.