The Brazilian will face the top 10 in his first Grand Slam match on Tuesday
In an interview with ESPN Brasil, João Fonseca commented on his expectations for the duel against 9th-ranked Russian Andrey Rublev, which will take place on Tuesday at the Australian Open in his Grand Slam debut.
“I’m coming from good matches, good results, going through qualifiers, playing great matches against difficult players, coming from 13 consecutive victories. So I’m confident, but at the same time I know there’s a big challenge ahead of me. Me: Rublev. I have already trained with him once and I know his potential, everyone knows his potential, and once again I will try to take away a bit of the “underdog” part, that I am a bit of the underdog”, said the Brazilian who he trained with the Russian at the ATP Final at the end of 2023 when he was sparring partner.
The Rio native says he prepared himself physically for the duel. Last Thursday he passed the qualifications.
“I will play without pressure and see how it goes. It will be my first five-set match, so I am preparing myself physically and mentally for this match, but I am also confident and I know I can win,” he added.
“I think, since it will be against Rublev, there might be a bigger pitch, maybe the stadium and, well, for me it’s a little different, he’s already used to it. But, being a little bit of an underdog, take a little of pressure on my side is important right now. Obviously I want to win, but in a way, well, if I win, great, but also, if I don’t win, I’ll do my best to do the sport that I love, that I love.” , he underlined.
“I think you have to enjoy the opportunity, you have to enjoy the opportunity to play in the Australian Open, the first main draw, against Rublev, with several Brazilians cheering, so take advantage of it and do my best,” he continued.
The Carioca confessed that a statement of praise from Novak Djokovic last year had moved him: “There are compliments, there are people who also make comparisons. I don’t like comparisons very much, even people who make comparisons, I think let everyone have their time” and everyone has their moment, everyone has their story. But one thing that felt really good to me, that had a huge impact last year, was when Djokovic talked about me, it was an inexplicable honor to pass by him like that. In the locker room there is an aura that gives you a tremor and paralyzes you: ‘Wow, Djokovic here,'” he said, recalling that the Serb said that “his game reminds me of my own.”
“When he talked about me, I thought, ‘Wow, I think I have a great path in this sport, I could do good things.’ And, well, there are definitely many others, but this was the first one I thought of and I said: ‘Wow, that’s nice’. I hope to work, stay grounded and continue to do interesting things in this sport,” he concluded.
Source: Terra
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