AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2025

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

L. SONEGO/J. Fonseca

6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Joao, tough luck. Not the result you wanted tonight, but you must be very proud of what you achieved the last two months.

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, for sure. Was a great fight today. My first time playing five sets. I knew it was going to be a tough battle. Yeah, I fought to the end.

I think I didn't play my best today. I was a little bit nervous. Actually a lot nervous in the second and third set. First, second, and third set, I was a lot nervous.

Yeah, like I said, I fight to the end. Was not the result I wanted, but was great two months. I mean, doing 15 matches consecutively and then winning 14, it's amazing. Good start of the year.

Yeah, now work more and more to be more prepared for those matches. I think today the experience of Lorenzo got better. It was one of the points that he won today. He has more experience in those matches.

Yeah, I'll keep working to do more, to do better the rest of the season.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What did it feel like to walk onto the court today sort of after what happened the other night, knowing how much more attention there was on you? Was that in your mind? Did that affect you in the last 24 hours, feeling the eyes of the tournament and the world on you?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, of course. Yes. I think after the battle against Rublev, the expectations got bigger, I think. People said a little bit more about Joao.

Yeah, my expectations were bigger also. I was more nervous than the match against Rublev. I already had a win against Sonego. Yeah, I'm not going to lie, I was a little bit nervous.

Like I said, I think the experience was the big difference of today.

Q. Were you aware of the extent of the support that you were going to get in Australia from the Brazilian population here?

JOAO FONSECA: It's such a nice thing about the Brazilians. When we see some Brazilians doing well on the sports, we like to cheer. It's a cultural thing.

Yeah, they make a lot of noise. I love playing with the crowd. It's such a nice thing. Yeah, I just want to thank the Brazilians for supporting me this week - not only this week, but my whole career, my whole matches.

Yeah, they really help me to stay focused in this match mentally. Yeah, I didn't got the win, but I want to thank them for the support.

Q. What are the things that have most surprised you about your first taste of Grand Slam tennis?

JOAO FONSECA: I think when you play five sets, the experience, it's different. They know better when to put intense. There's going to be ups and downs during the match.

Like I say, I won the first set really good, 7-6. Then two sets was really easy for him. I couldn't play my best. Then after, I got a break in the fourth. The fifth was like 50/50. It was going to be ups and downs.

I need to have more experience on this. I need to work more to stay mentally focused during the whole match and need to be prepared for this. So yeah, I think that was the big difference to play a Grand Slam.

There's going to be ups and downs, and you need to stay focused during the most part of the match.

Q. How was the repercussions of the locker room? Yesterday Djokovic said he knew you before coming to the interview. He was really impressed. How was the locker room with you after your victory against Rublev? What did you receive from Brazil? What did your family tell you about the Brazilian news?

JOAO FONSECA: You're asking about Sonego or generally, the other players?

Q. Yeah, other players.

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, the players are, like, congratulating me for a good match against Rublev, a good win. But it's important to get -- it's going to be a little bit rude -- but getting some respect from other players.

Yeah, from Brazil, the repercussions is just big. People are getting to know a little bit more of me. That's super nice. But at the same time you need to be focused.

People are going to say a lot, have more expectation, like I said. Yeah, you need to stay focused in your routine, what you need to do. Yeah, to work more and more.

Q. What are you most excited about for the year ahead? Is it playing a lot of the big tournaments? To see how high you can climb in the rankings?

JOAO FONSECA: For sure it's to play the big tournaments. It's my dream to play the tour, like the real tour where the top 50 players play. The Masters, the ATP 500s, the 250s. I want to live playing this.

I'm excited to join the top 100, play the big tournaments, get my place in this environment, and keep working to go bigger, to have more and more ranking.

Yeah, I think for me, for myself, for my opinion, the sky's the limit. You need to work more and more to reach your dream, which is become No. 1.

So yeah, I think that's it.

Q. You have such a fan following now. What do you believe makes you such an exciting player for the fans?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, we don't have a Brazilian. Actually we have Thiago Monteiro. To see another Brazilian reaching good things at 18 years old, it's good. I mean, the Brazilian people, like I said, they like to cheer a lot for this promise kid.

Yeah, I think it's a difficult question, difficult question to answer. I mean, I don't know why me. I think people think too much about me. Yeah, for me, I just want to be me, play my tennis, play the sport I love, and do well.