ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 9, 2026

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

J. FONSECA/M. Berrettini

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Joao, well done reaching your first Masters quarterfinals. Was this your best match of the week? And just looking ahead to your quarterfinal tomorrow against Sascha.

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, I think so. It was a pretty good match till the beginning, playing really aggressive, and putting a lot of pressure on the return games and doing pretty well on the service games, as well.

Yeah, I think the only time that I wasn't very focused was the serving 2-1 in the second set, but I kept positive. I kept playing aggressive, with confidence, so I breaked back. I'm very happy the way I stayed focused for this match and happy to make my first quarterfinals.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Curious about how much you use data in terms of evaluating your own game when you're trying to improve and also scouting opponents. I know there is, like, the ATP TennisIQ thing. How much do you use that versus relying on instinct?

JOAO FONSECA: My coach looks a lot. He's a very, how can I say, he studies a lot, yeah, of course tennis and data and statistics. He likes to study.

I like when he resume (phonetic) to me and then just say, Okay, in the important points, the guy goes sometimes more to the wide serve.

I just want to know what's the best for the guy, but I know, like, he can serve T. But I just like to know, and he likes to give me this information before matches. Well, it comes a little bit of the game plan and also what I need to improve.

I mean, if my, I don't know, maybe my return on backhand, I'm losing more points, I need to be more aggressive, I need to put deep. So we like to see this stuff, and it helps to become better.

Q. I have not seen many tennis players hitting the forehand with more power than Berrettini, but today you seemed to be more powerful than him on the forehands. Have you seen other players who can hit stronger than Berrettini, the forehand, that you remember? And you like better to play on clay or on other surface?

JOAO FONSECA: Well, yeah, Berrettini has a huge forehand. When I played him for the first time, it was difficult for me. We were playing, well, indoors, and it was Davis Cup, and he was hitting forehand like crazy. It was difficult to play. It was just, like, super pressure (smiling). I felt, really, I really felt the ball.

But I would say maybe, I mean, Carlos has a huge forehand. I think Tsitsipas forehand is also pretty solid.

But, yeah, answering your question about clay, I was born on clay, I also love to play on clay, but when people ask, I'm almost like I don't know what to choose, because I play good on both, and, well, I play more on hard, but I like playing on clay. I feel good on it.

I would say now clay because I'm on clay season (smiling).

Q. I'm curious if you did the specific work for your movement on the court. Seems to me that now you are moving much better than few months ago.

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, of course, I mean, preseason came, and unfortunately I got an injury. I mean, I was trying to get back with rhythm and physique.

Then after I came back from Australia, I had some weeks to prepare. Yeah, we have been working a lot on my movementation on clay and hard, and soon enough on grass.

So, yeah, we have been working a lot on that to stay on top. Like, I mean, if we want to be top 10, top 5, we need to movementate like them, so yeah, we are working a lot on that, as well.

Q. Would you be happy at the end of the clay season if you won tournament, if you improve your game?

JOAO FONSECA: Can you please repeat?

Q. Would you be happy at the end of the clay season if... If you improve your game? If you win some...

JOAO FONSECA: I would be happy if, well, if I make good results, if I play good matches. Even if I lose, I play good, I had the positive mind, I went for the shots.

My mentality now, I'm in a mentality that I need to every match is an opportunity to learn, and to deal with every match like I want to give my best, and I want to win at all costs.

So at the end of the clay season, I want to be happy with myself that I did everything I can to be my best and do my best result.