Fonseca, devastated after losing to Shelton: "I need to improve"
The Brazilian appeared before the accredited press in Montreal visibly affected by his defeat to Shelton and made a promise to improve.
Joao Fonseca may be falling prey to himself and the expectations surrounding him. It must not be easy for the Brazilian to manage that role of an emerging star and to see how other players of his age are at his level or even surpassing his progress. He hinted at this feeling after losing to Ben Shelton in the ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 2026.
Nothing can be reproached to Joao Fonseca nor can his evolution as a tennis player be questioned, but the nerves among his most loyal fans are starting to surface. His performance in Montreal has been positive, although the inconsistency shown against Ben Shelton and his tendency to rush in crucial moments make it clear that he still has a lot of room for improvement in that aspect and that, for now, there are players of his age who are more tactically organized and mature on the court.
Fonseca made self-criticism after losing to Shelton in Montreal
"It's hard to assess the loss. I just think about resting and preparing for Cincinnati. I hope to improve my tennis there. I feel that I didn't do things well on the return, I didn't generate the necessary opportunities, and I leave with the feeling that I played badly. Definitely, I need to improve," said the Brazilian, visibly affected by not being able to be part of a quarter-final filled with players born in the 21st century.
Em conversa com a ESPN Brasil, João fez uma autocrítica sobre o desempenho na derrota de hoje. pic.twitter.com/gV9dpoA1Ll
— João Fonseca Updates (@fonsecaupdates) August 10, 2026
"I failed in the important points, I didn't exert the necessary pressure on him, and my serve was far from the required consistency. The serve defined everything. Shelton deserved to win, and I can only keep working," asserted a Fonseca who wanted to downplay the serious ankle sprain he suffered and is already looking to upcoming challenges. "It's nothing serious. I felt something at the moment, and it scared me, but then it went away. There is no excuse for the loss, neither the ankle nor the wind nor the general conditions of the match," commented the carioca player.
He exits the ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 2026 as 26th in the world, having accumulated experiences that will help him continue improving. It will be very interesting to see how he internalizes these bad feelings after his loss and whether he can take another step in his progression in Cincinnati and the US Open. Joao Fonseca has work to do.
Seeing how players from his same generation are progressing with greater speed and consistency than him can only motivate him to work hard to prove that he can be the great leader of a generation destined for major successes.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fonseca, desolado tras perder ante Shelton: "Necesito mejorar"