THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2025

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

J. FONSECA/J. Fearnley

6-4, 6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Joao, happy to get that first win on the board?

JOAO FONSECA: For sure, yes. A dream coming true, playing on Court 1. I mean, playing against a very great player, against a difficult crowd, also.

I mean, a lot of nerves from the beginning of the first set. Then after getting through my serves, so very happy with the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You're playing either Griekspoor or Brooksby in the next round. Of course they had great weeks last week on grass. Do you like to watch tape of potential opponents before a match or do you like to focus on yourself and leave that to the team?

JOAO FONSECA: I focus more on myself, what I'm confident with. Obviously, my coaches, they look for the recent matches on grass and see sometimes statistics or, of course, the match. They talk to me a day before. Tomorrow we're going to practice. They're going to say to me some things to focus on.

Yeah, sometimes I watch the matches of them. Normally, no. Normally I just focus on mine.

Q. You mentioned you were nervous at the start on court. How were the nerves this morning in the buildup to the match? How did you cope with them?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, it was normal. I knew was going to come. But I also knew how I would try to manage it. It was 4-All. I was Love-40. He was playing better. Probably if he broke me, he was going to do the set and things could go easier for him.

Yeah, I think my serves helped me a lot with the nerves today. I served really well. Yeah, we were both just doing our serves in the beginning in the first set, just trying to put the ball in. Yeah, I knew it was going to come. I just needed to be ready for it.

Q. Normally, you're used to having a lot of Brazilian fans in the crowd. Today it was in favor of Jacob. Did you feel like you missed the support?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, normally I play with the crowd. The crowd is normally on my side. But today, yeah, I also thanked after the match, the British crowd, they respected the match. If it was in Brazil, probably it's going to be disturbed for Jacob.

But yeah, they really respected. It's means a lot. Yeah, saw some voices in Portuguese. Yeah, I felt really well during the match. Didn't disturb me at all.

Q. Obviously, you mentioned just now you had a moment in the first set when you were Love-40 down and didn't drop a point in the rest of the set, then the tiebreak. It looks like you were staying very calm. Do you feel that?

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, the moment of the tiebreak, I just felt like, honestly, okay, it's going to the fourth set, he played well. He's playing well, he's getting his serves well. Yeah, I didn't play very good in the beginning of the tiebreak.

Yeah, when he was serving 5-2, he made a double-fault. I said to me, That's my chance. I made a good return and he lost the first forehand. Also, a little bit more nervous from both sides.

I served really well in the important points. 4-5 I was serving ace, and 5-All ace again. 6-5 could go to both sides.

So very happy with the way I could manage the important points doing good serves and increasing the level.

Q. You won on your debut of the Australian Open, Roland Garros and now Wimbledon. What is it about the Grand Slams that brings out the best in you?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, the main draws, yes. Yeah, last year I lost in quallies here, in quallies US Open. I think, I mean, maybe probably the place that you play, you just feel like you want to win, you want to win very much. You're playing a Grand Slam. It's an opportunity. It's one in a year, so you just give it all.

Yeah, I was very focused today and I gave my best. So very happy. I worked very much for this one.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about the heat today. Nicolas Jarry said it was easy, nothing compared to Buenos Aires or Rio de Janeiro.

JOAO FONSECA: For me it was hot. Actually close to Rio sometimes. In summer, Rio is very, very hot. I'm more used than European people, yeah.

Q. I think you're at your career-high ranking, 54. Quite possible for you to crack the top 50 at this tournament. Do you think anything about that or just take it match by match?

JOAO FONSECA: I'm just taking match by match, not thinking very much about the ranking. Of course, there is a goal for me to be seeded player in the next Grand Slams. It's a goal for me.

It's going to be week after week, focusing on the match, not in the results. If I'm going to play good, well. If I'm going to play good and lose the match...

Yeah, I'm just focusing on the next match and not about the ranking.