ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2025

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

J. FONSECA/H. Hurkacz

6-2, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Joao. How much did you enjoy the atmosphere out there on Court 7?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, it's always good to play in front of the Brazilian crowd. Maybe 80% of the crowd was Brazilian, so that's super nice.

Just enjoy a few moments. My first time playing here at the main draw for Roland Garros, and I really enjoyed, and yeah, just dream come true to achieve the Round 2.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Is it special for you to have your first win in Roland Garros when you know the relationship between Roland Garros and Brazilian athletes, Gustavo Kuerten?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, I'm really happy. It's a dream. We have Guga, which he's a legend of this sport. He's a legend for us Brazilians, not because of his tennis but because of his charisma, the way he talked to people, the way that he do his interviews and et cetera.

Yeah, it's just really an honor to be here in front of the Brazilian crowd playing and had a great performance like today.

Q. In English, a lot, a lot of spectators wanted to see your game tonight. To be honest, I have never seen so long queue outside the court. How does it feel for you, and are you surprised to be welcomed so well in Paris?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, I knew there is going to be a lot of Brazilians here in Paris, a lot of Brazilians living here and they come a lot. I think because of Guga, because of the tradition, and there is a lot of Brazilians.

I knew when I was walking to the court, and I saw even the line was just huge to go to enter the court, and the people on Philippe Chatrier, Suzanne Lenglen watching, just remember deja vu because I played on this court against Debru in the quarters in 2022, and I lost the match, and it was really nice to be there again and perform really well on this amazing stadium with the crowd.

Q. It's not an easy task to beat Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. Quite easy almost. Did you expect that? I saw you have always a lot of crowd behind. In Miami, in Australia, here. I mean, that is becoming a routine? You expect to be like that everywhere all the time?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, the expectations are going to come. People are going to talk. Compare with other people, other players.

For my mentality, it's just good to be with good people that can help me to stay, to be with a good mentality that I needed to. I need to do the best that I can improve my routines, stay with good people, stay healthy, and not focusing on the expectations.

Yeah, I'm managing to do very well, but sometimes the pressure is going to come. It's normal. You need to deal with it.

Me, I'm young, and I'm, like, getting the experience of everything now. So I'm learning a lot from this circuit and this environment that's going to come a lot of expectations.

And about Hubi, I just played my best. I played really well, focusing a lot on the returns and serves. I knew it's going to come a lot of great serves, and I was just focusing putting the first return on the ball, the plus one, the return plus one, put in the middle and try to be as aggressive as I can. Try to focus on opportunities, go to the net, and try to be aggressive when I can.

So, yeah, it was a great match. I'm really happy the way that I did my service games, so I can say it was an amazing match.

Q. What, at this point, do you consider your greatest strength as a tennis player? And where do you think is the most room for improvement for you?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, there is a lot to improve. I can say that maybe my forehand is my best skill, but with everything, I think my mentality is really good.

It's difficult to play on those kind of tournaments with this environment and with a lot of expectations young, so I would say my mentality is good. Like I said, the pressure is going to come. There is going to be, I mean, the last few tournaments I got into pressure, was not feeling very well on court, feel a little bit more tense and did not enjoying very much.

And, yeah, now I'm feeling very comfortable. I'm feeling very happy on court. Happy and playing good.

Yeah, so, I mean, to improve, I think of course there is going to be backhand, I need to improve my backhand, my serves, my net skills. So those are things that is going to come by time, and my defense also needs to improve a little bit more on clay.

Yeah, I think those things. Yeah, I think that's it.

Q. What surface do you enjoy playing on the most now? Which eventually do you think might be your best surface?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, I hope it's going to be grass. I love playing on grass. I think it's really nice, I hope.

But for now, I think I'm playing better on clay. I was born on clay. Us Brazilians, I only started playing on hard when I was like 11, 12, something like that, playing tournaments. So clay for me is really good.