Agassi, impressed by Fonseca: "I am surprised by his mentality, he does not let himself be intimidated"

Streaming ATP Hangzhou MD live tennis

🎾 Kadhe/Prashanth vs Andreozzi/Guinard

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Andre Agassi is back in the spotlight thanks to his new role in the Laver Cup 2025. It will be the first time the American serves as the main captain, displacing John McEnroe to lead Team World, a new responsibility that he embraces with excitement and motivation. It's also an opportunity to get closer to some of the new talents on the circuit... including the newcomer Joao Fonseca.

The Las Vegas native has also joined the wave of praise and high expectations surrounding the Brazilian, lauding his mentality on the court and providing an interesting description of his tennis as reported by UOL. Not only that, he also shared some curious reflections on his journey alongside Novak Djokovic and how he currently relates to tennis in an interview with Tennis 365.

- About whether this tennis era is better than the one he lived

"Every sport improves and evolves, so I don't see it as an insult to my generation to say that this is the golden age of men's tennis. Tennis has changed a lot since my time. The weight of the ball has become a very important factor, passing shots have reached new heights; what used to be considered incredible shots are now the norm. I've seen Djokovic up close on clay, and the amount of court he covers is impressive. When I put my feet where he is, it was six steps, but he covers them very quickly."

- Percentage of talent and mentality in a player's success

"Kyrgios has a talent that is practically unmatched, but how reliable is he as a player? Alexander Zverev, another guy with immense tennis skills, who seems professional and focused, but there is so much within a player's psyche, the strive to be the best and truly reach there... we talk about talent, but you never know how far it can take you.

Let's use Pete Sampras as an example. I saw him train when he was 17 years old, I was already #3 in the world, and I felt sorry for him. I watched him and thought he would never make it far. I felt bad, thinking he wouldn't amount to anything: he couldn't hit a backhand, looked very lazy, absent-minded, his mind seemed elsewhere... and look at everything he achieved. You never know who can make it and how far an athlete can go. Tennis has a springboard effect: some use it as a launchpad and can't be stopped, others think they'll make it and fade away. That extra factor that is unseen is what makes the difference."

- Does he hate tennis less than before? Has he come to love this sport again?

"I feel much better about tennis than when I wrote in my book that I hated this sport. My career was an evolution to embrace it my way and see tennis the way I did. It came with a huge toll until I was able to add some context to it. Now I'm grateful for the career I had and for being able to talk about it."

- His opinion on Novak Djokovic after that experience of coaching him

"He is intense above all, even when he should relax! He takes everything with tremendous professionalism. Even when he needs to rest, he has a tremendous determination to make the most of it. What surprised me the most is his intellectual capacity off the court and how little he thinks inside. You see him off the court and he's thinking about everything, but on the court, he feels his tennis and his shots as the match progresses.

I analyzed a lot on the court and just let it flow off the court. He's the opposite. He's a smart guy, you're surprised by how he remembers the details of everything. If he needs information, he reads, studies, and immerses himself in everything. It was very enjoyable to meet him and learn what motivates him to achieve his goals".

- A tremendous description of Fonseca's game after watching him train at the Laver

"His game is very easy to respect and admire. The sheer power he can generate from both sides of the court, almost effortlessly... he can make the same movement and generate a lot of ball speed without it seeming like he wants to hit harder. His mobility is excellent, but what has impressed me the most when I met him is his mentality. He's a guy who doesn't need validation from anyone. He's not intimidated by the environment, he believes he belongs in these tournaments, that he deserves to be here, that he must and wants to continue improving. He's intelligent, perceptive, and receptive. I like how he processes things, and that will only help him become his best version".

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Agassi, impresionado por Fonseca: "Me ha sorprendido su mentalidad, no se deja intimidar"