AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2025

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

J. FONSECA/A. Rublev

7-6, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Joao, congrats. Have you looked at your phone? How many messages? Do you realize what you have just done for your first match at a Grand Slam?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, I saw my phone. Like, I just tried to saw when I was in the ice bath, and it was a lot of message, and I close it (smiling).

But yeah, I just tried to message my family, the close ones. Yeah, I'm still a little bit cold because of the ice bath. But yeah, it's just amazing, for me, what I did. My first win in a Grand Slam, my first win against a top-10 player, my first time playing in main draw of a Grand Slam.

So everything's new for me, but I played such a good match. I'm just very happy with myself, very proud the way that I fought, and the way that I stayed mentally on every game, every point.

Yeah, very happy with myself.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congrats on the win. The atmosphere out there, did it feel like you were back at the Rio Open?

JOAO FONSECA: Good to see you. Yeah, it was really nice, I think. One-third of the crowd was Brazilian, so it really felt like I was at home, people cheering for me, calling my name. It was just amazing.

I love playing with the crowd, so for me it was super, super nice.

Q. How much confidence do you have at the moment? You haven't dropped a set in all your matches this year. Does that go back to winning the Next Gen ATP Finals, to be playing with this confidence?

JOAO FONSECA: Yes, for sure, the Next Gen gave me confidence. I mean, I'm playing great tennis, so I need to enjoy this moment, to play my best. Well, I'm playing good, so I'm feeling confident. Yeah, just try to go point per point and try to play good against those guys, increase my level when the important points came.

And, yeah, I think we try to continue. That's what the difference between the top players, the consistency, and I'm trying to improve my consistency. I have a good strike now at the end of last year and the beginning of this one. So try to stay like this.

Q. Seemed like many in the tennis world thought you may even be the favorite going into that match, despite the rankings. Did you feel that way going into the match, and did you feel any pressure when you were out there?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, of course. I knew the pressure was coming. Like I said, everything was new for me, but for me, I was not the favorite. I was trying to, like, enter the court with just, Okay, I'm an 18-year-old guy, he's a top-10 guy. I'm going to do my best here. Of course, I'm confident. I know I can win, but no pressure on myself.

That's what I was trying to do. But, of course, when I was two sets to love, I was thinking a little bit more, Okay, maybe I'm going to win this match, and I need to focus, need to keep pushing. Yeah, the nerves, of course, came, but I mentally stayed.

Q. Do your expectations change in terms of the rest of the tournament? What are those expectations for the rest of the tournament?

JOAO FONSECA: I think when I arrived here, my first goal was to qualify for the main draw. Of course, my expectations are bigger now. I want more and more.

Of course, I'm very happy with the way that I played today with the win, but I already think about the next match. It's going to be a good one against a very great player.

Yeah, want more and more. I think that's the mentality of the champion. So I'm just trying to think about the next match.

Q. Who have been as you have been growing up and are now maybe your favorite athletes? Is there a tennis player that you have tried to model your game after?

JOAO FONSECA: That I tried to model my game? I mean, my idol always was always Roger. I grew up watching Roger. Of course, I think everyone wanted to play like him.

But I even tried, when I was younger, the one-handed. I tried for, like, one week, and then I have something in my elbow, and then I forgot, I'm going to go two-handed again (smile).

But, yeah, he is an idol for me. He inspires me.

Guga, of course, the Brazilian one, he's not only idol as a player, but as a person. He's such a nice person. I could meet him, and yeah, I think those two are my idols.

Q. Brazilian men's tennis has been calling out for a star player. How important and significant is it to represent Brazil on this stage?

JOAO FONSECA: Of course, super nice. I'm still the only one alive in the main drive of the men's.

We had Bea, but yeah, like I said, playing the stadiums with this crowd is just amazing, having some Brazilians here. I say everywhere I go there are Brazilians cheering for me, and that's super nice. Yeah, it's very nice to have one more player on the -- doing some great things for us Brazilians, and I love playing for my country.

Q. You have been in Melbourne now for over a week. Is there a part of the city that you enjoy visiting?

JOAO FONSECA: Actually, no. My coaches, both of them run, so yeah, they know a little bit more of the city. They are running.

But as for me, I'm just going, like, hotel and then site. I couldn't see a little bit. But maybe after the tournament, I want to see a little bit more. I talked to some Australians, and they said Melbourne is one of the prettiest cities that they have, so one of the prettiest city in the world, so I want to see a little bit more, for sure.