THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2025

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

N. JARRY/J. Fonseca

6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Unlucky today, Joao. What were your takeaways from that match? What were your thoughts of the way it went?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, I think it was a great match from Nico. He played really well in the beginning of the match. Playing aggressive with his serves and returns.

And the way that I play, that I like to play aggressive, in the beginning it was difficult for me because he was doing a lot of good shots. He got an early break in the second set that felt -- I think for him he felt a little bit more into the game, like more calm.

I was supposed to let him think a little bit more I think. Yeah, in the third set I fought a little bit. I got a great break point.

Yeah, I think the learning from today is that even if you are two sets down, you can still win the match. There was a learning that you still can win, and you just need to be focused because he was serving too well.

I was making a bit of mistakes when I had the opportunity of break points, and I was not serving very well in the beginning, but after I kind of felt a little bit more of my serves. You just need to stay and be positive. That was the learning from today. In the first set could go to both sides.

Q. If you look back at the whole tournament as a whole, what would you take as not just the learnings from this match, but generally playing on grass, at Wimbledon, the main draw? What would you take away from it?

JOAO FONSECA: For sure a lot of lessons. When you go to a Grand Slam and play, the players play differently. They are much more focused. It's a five-set match, and everything can happen. You can have two sets up and then you can still lose the match. So you need to stay focused all the time. Even on grass, you need to focus on your serve.

Maybe sometimes you're going to have the opportunity, and it's not going to be that much clear. You're going to have, like, 30-40. The guy serve at 30-40, and you're going to have -- he's going to get an ace, and you still need to be positive for it.

Yeah, from today I think I got a lot of opportunity. I have a Love-40 in the fourth set. He was serving Love-40. He made some good serves, so I mean, I had nothing to do with it. Yeah, that's the learning.

You need to still be positive. Going more for the nets, more approach, and yeah, nets cues, approach cues, slice cues. That's a lot of learning and experience for the hard court and indoor season that is coming next.

Q. I was watching you in Madrid and Roland Garros and here, and you have such a great following by Brazilian fans. Is this more of a privilege or is it more pressure for you with the expectations that you have to face?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, you can see both sides. For me it's a privilege when you have your country supporting you, and you feel like you represent your country. It's super nice because we don't have that much of a following in Brazil. We don't have as much players like U.S. in the top 100. So I mean, it's nice to see them cheering and supporting.

Sometimes it's going to be the pressure. They're going to put expectations like, Oh, that's going to be the next, I don't know, Sinner or next Guga, whatever you think. I'm just going to be me. Some people understand that. Some people is going to be there even if I lose or even if I won.

I mean, that's nice, but there's going to be good parts and there's going to be bad parts. It just depends how is the way that you be mature and understand that how they can help you.

Q. Can you explain sort of how your comfort level at these Grand Slams has developed over the last six months? I mean, you've just qualified for your first one in January. You're now almost through a full year of them. What do you think has been, as you say, your big learning from all of that? How are you different now than you were back in Australia?

JOAO FONSECA: I think I'm much more comfortable with my physical. In the beginning like in Australia I was still thinking if I could handle, like, five sets. I think after Sonego, I go like, okay, I can handle. I feel good. For me it's not a thing that I think anymore.

Yeah, still the learning that if you're two sets down or if you're losing a set, there's still things to happen. Even with Brooksby, I won the first set, I lost the second one 7-5, and then I had the third set, playing well, and I got two breaks. Everything can change very quick, even on grass.

Yeah, I think a lot of learnings. It's a different game. Yeah, I think that's it.

Q. Are you okay? You had a couple of treatments. There was I think something with your foot and later on with the hip. Was there anything particularly --

JOAO FONSECA: No, I felt good. Parts of the game that -- I mean, I was doing a lot of slides, so there was one slide that I did that in the break point that I felt a little bit on my hip. It's nothing serious. I think just, like, something that I stretched too much.

To calm down a little bit, to think a little bit more, it helped a little bit the hip. So I'm not feeling nothing serious.

Q. Are you surprised by the level that Jarry showed in this tournament, the level he's showing?

JOAO FONSECA: He has great groundstrokes on both sides, amazing forehand and amazing serve. So I think his game is based on his serve and forehand.

When he's feeling good with it, it's difficult to play against him. I mean, the first two sets was difficult, and after when I got the first break, he started to think a little bit more, and that's interesting about this game.

I started feeling a little bit more. I think in the fourth set I was playing better than him, and then after he served really well in the tiebreak.

Yeah, congrats to him, the way that he played. He was aggressive and confident. So, I mean, I think he can go further on this tournament.

Q. I have one more about your schedule. I think you took a break after Miami, if I'm correct, for a couple of weeks. What is it going to be like? Will you take breaks even now during the summertime with Toronto, Cincinnati coming up, or do you like to play through? The more, the better.

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, I'm from Brazil. My base is still in Brazil, so I need to come back. There is the time difference and everything. When I'm here, I don't have the privilege like the Europeans to go back and stay, like, two, three days between the tournaments at home.

So, yeah, I think for now I'm going to go back home, rest a little bit. I don't know what's going to be the next tournament yet.

Yeah, I always say to my team that let's go for four or five weeks. It's good. I feel good. Then I have to rest a little bit. For us right now it's going to be like this. I don't know for how long. Maybe in the future there's going to be a base in Europe probably.

Q. Lots of Brazilians in North America, especially in America. You got a taste of it in the spring. I know you have lived there, also. How much do you look forward to something like that in the summer, in New York especially?

JOAO FONSECA: I think it's going to be nice. US Open last year was loud. Yeah, it's going to be my first time in Cincinnati and Toronto, so it's going to be for sure very, very nice. Yeah, hopefully there are going to be some Brazilians there watching and supporting me.

I know for sure there's going to be in New York. So, yeah, it's going to be nice this next season.

Q. Is there any sense of frustration? Obviously if you had won today, you would have played Norrie and probably would have been on Centre Court. Does that feel like a missed opportunity, or does it make you feel even more determined? Maybe next year you'll get a date on Centre Court.

JOAO FONSECA: Of course, a little frustration. I had the opportunity, like I said. I have Love-40 when he was serving, and probably I'll be playing better on the fifth set. Yeah, I was feeling more confident.

A bit of frustration, obviously, but at the same time I'm still young and a lot to come in. Yeah, we going to be back next year. I mean, just take the learnings, keep working, and let's go for it.

Yeah, against Norrie was going to be another experience. I don't know if it was going to be on Centre Court, but it was going to be another experience.

Yeah, fourth round of a Grand Slam was super cool for sure.