Fonseca responds to comparisons with other great legends
After overcoming a very challenging debut in Montreal against Stefanos Tsitsipas, the press room welcomed Joao Fonseca to hear him talk about his current moment and open some debates from the past.
It had been a while since we last saw Joao Fonseca, since the last Wimbledon. The Brazilian took some days off before returning this Wednesday at the Masters 1000 in Montreal, where he started with a win against Tsitsipas.
This first match wasn't easy, but the carioca gritted his teeth at the important moments to take the victory in two sets. A good win to reactivate competitive mode in a draw that always looks very open for several contenders. Will Joao Fonseca be the revelation this week in Canada? It’s still too early to tell; for now, we know he will meet Casper Ruud in the next round. Let’s first hear from the Brazilian to see where he stands.
Fonseca analyzes his feelings after returning
"I felt really good on the court today. Mentally and physically, I was very well. I started the match very focused and intense. I knew it was going to be a tough encounter. Our last match was also very close, although it was in the Davis Cup and the atmosphere was different. I'm very happy with my mental strength. After going up 5-4 in the second set and serving to win the match, I lost some opportunities, but I knew it would be a tough and tense moment. I hadn't played for a month, and I was aware of that. I'm very happy with how I managed to maintain my concentration, break his serve again, and close the match with some very good serving."
The reaction after losing serve
"It was very important for me. I'm very happy with how I handled that situation. I remained very focused. I knew I needed to make a lot of returns, and I also knew he would feel a little nervous. I had confidence in my shots, so I'm very satisfied with the way I reacted."
The state of the center court
"I did notice that the ball bounced quite a bit. I had already seen it on the practice courts, but even more so on the center court. Sometimes, when he hit the backhand with a lot of spin, the ball would bounce very high, and it was hard to read it. But then I adapted. You have to adapt to the court conditions and find solutions."
Fonseca responds to comparisons with Nadal, Guga, and other stars
"I don’t really like comparisons. I think every player has their own moment and their own career. We can see everything that Stefanos achieved in his best years and now how he is fighting to return to where he belongs, because I know he is a great competitor and a great player. If people say I’m going to be the next Guga or the next Nadal, I don’t want to be them. I just want to be me. I want to write my own story, focus on what I need to improve, and become a better person and a better athlete."
Djokovic's proposal to change tennis
"The truth is that I did very well playing sets of four games at the Next Gen Finals, so I can't complain. But I think Novak says that because of his physical condition... because he is getting older (laughs). Beyond that, I believe that tennis being played in six-game sets is part of the history of this sport. It's classic tennis, and I think it's important to maintain that tradition. Although, as I said, I had good results with the other format."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fonseca responde a las comparaciones con otras grandes leyendas