ROLAND GARROS

May 24, 2026

Joao Fonseca

Press Conference

J. FONSECA/L. Pavlovic

7-6, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Joao, well done. How happy were you with your performance today?

JOAO FONSECA: Well, happy with my performance, but not happy with my level today, the way that I played, well, technically, but happy the way that I fought to the end. I mean, first round is always difficult, much more pressure, and playing against a guy that already came from quallies, so he played three matches before.

But happy the way that I stayed mentally on the game, on the match, and happy to get through. And now we're in second round, so nothing to be sad about, just happy. I think those matches means more than winning 2, 2, and 2.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Luka really pushed you, especially in the first set. Just wonder how good you feel you are at being patient in matches like that.

JOAO FONSECA: I mean, he's a guy that has good serve, and he doesn't put a lot of rhythm on the match. I mean, he does a lot of dropshots, serve and volley. He likes to go for the shots with his backhand so it's difficult a little bit to feel the ball.

In the beginning, that you're a little bit more nervous, it's difficult. But I think I just stayed mentally with my serve.

I mean, I got an early break, but I stayed positive, and yeah, I think I wasn't playing my best, but I kept going for it and I got a break back. We went to the tiebreak, and I had some breakpoints, some set points, he was serving 5-6, but he played good. He had set point on the tiebreak, as well.

I think that set was really important for the match. Since I won the set, I think his energy went down a little bit, and I felt a little bit more, like, felt good on the court, felt good with my shots a little bit.

Yeah, just happy the way that I stayed positive.

Q. You decided to skip Hamburg because you had some discomfort in your wrist. We're seeing that Carlos isn't there, a lot of wrist or shoulder injuries. You're just starting your career. How important is it already for you to work on your injury prevention, to make sure you're staying healthy? It seems this generation is going to be the key to be able to last long. Is it something you're thinking about with your team or stay focused to make sure your body is ready for the next decade?

JOAO FONSECA: Well, the injuries are going to come somehow. I don't know any player that doesn't feel like injuries, even like when they're playing. I mean, they play feeling something sometimes, and it's normal. You need to deal with it. I think every athlete feels it a little bit.

Yeah, it's something that me and my team, we work a lot. I think everyone does. Well, nobody wants to feel pain. Nobody wants to not play tennis.

So, yeah, we try to handle our body. I think that's the main priority. Yeah, for me was good for my team was important decision not to play Hamburg and feel 100% ready. When I came to the Media Day first day, I was just happy because I was not feeling pain. I was just healthy to play.

Yeah, a few days ago we were deciding if I could play or no, and yeah, so I feel really happy that I'm healthy, I'm feeling good.

But, yeah, it's something that you always try to manage somehow just to focus every day. Even when you're not feeling something, you need to do the mobility every day. So, yeah, it's something that you need to focus on.

Q. Joao, you were asked before about having to stay patient in this match. Just wonder as well during the rallies how different that is on clay compared to other surfaces, points are often a bit longer, how you find that, how you sometimes have to win points twice or three times over?

JOAO FONSECA: Yeah, I like playing on clay. I think the game is much more about patience, because the guy, the opponent is going to put more and more balls. It's easier to reach the ball. You can use more the topspin and go more to the back, put the balls.

I mean, it's not just like hard court that you have one good shot, or grass, and that's it. So you need to be more patient, but yeah, I like playing on it. I think it's ideal to my game.

Yeah, like I said, I didn't feel my best on the match day but happy the way that I fought and the way that I -- well, I started the game with one level, and then I, like, ended the game with another level, so that's a positive thing.

Q. The Simonne Mathieu Court is quite a unique location. It's surrounded by four greenhouses. Do you notice the greenhouses at all?

JOAO FONSECA: Actually, no. I know there was four, but it's such a nice court, but yeah, when you go to the court, you see a lot of greens. But yeah, I think, yeah, the court is beautiful.

I don't know when it was, like, ten years ago, eight years ago? Okay, seven years ago. Such a good court. I felt good on it. I think the atmosphere is great on that court. It's a big court, so yeah, happy to play my first match there.

Q. I hear you have been working on your golf. I just wondered how your golf compares to your tennis game and kind of how it's important to have a release from tennis, as well.

JOAO FONSECA: It's terrible. (Laughter.)

I don't even have a handicap right now. But I like doing simulator sometimes. I mean, when you go to the golf course, it's just, I mean, it's a long time, and yeah, I mean, time is something that we don't usually have.

I normally go to the simulator tournament. It's okay. I find some, like I found in Rome, I found in Madrid. Yeah, it's something to relax. I go alone. None of my coaches like it very much. I just go alone. Me and my mom sometimes. I feel good in it, but yeah, I'm still very bad (smiling).