Joao Fonseca had a classy response to an unusual post-match question (Image: Eurosport)
Joao Fonseca had the perfect response when he was put on the spot after making a statement debut at the .
The 18-year-old stormed through qualifying to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. And he announced himself by
Afterwards, Fonseca received an “unfair” question about his talent while being interviewed on the court. But he handled it like a seasoned professional, looking to retired icon .
Die-hard tennis fans have long seen Fonseca as the next big thing but the world No. 112 got the opportunity to announce himself on the world stage at the .
The teenager shocked Rublev in straight sets, earning a 7-6(1) 6-3 7-6(5) victory in front of a packed Margaret Court Arena. It was likely the first time that most spectators and TV viewers got a chance to see Fonseca in action and he made a great impression on and off the court.
After dazzling with his tennis, the 18-year-old had a fitting response to an unusual question from Andrea Petkovic during his on-court interview.
“If I go to Brazil and want to buy the talent that you have, how much money do you think I would need?” the retired German tennis star asked.
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Fonseca was initially left speechless as he tried to think of an answer. “It’s an unfair question,” Petkovic admitted, and the teenager agreed.
“It’s a little bit unfair!” he smiled, before coming up with the perfect reply. “Like Roger [Federer] says, talent is not enough for hard work so I put [in] a lot of hard work. Me and my team know that. I think that’s it.”
The world No. 112 also had a special message for the Brazilian fans, speaking his native tongue before departing the court.
Fonseca is a big Federer fan and signed a deal with On Running when he was just 17 years old. Federer invested in the Swiss brand in 2021 and has his own custom shoe line with them.
Ahead of the recent Next Gen ATP Finals – a tournament Fonseca went on to win – he told the ATP that he wanted to reverse one of Federer’s toughest defeats.
“The one in 2019, when Roger had match point against [Novak] Djokovic at . I wish I would be Roger, so I could make an ace at 40/15. I want to change history,” he said.
The world No. 112 will now bid to make his own history as he continues his epic campaign against Lorenzo Sonego in round two. Fonseca has a winning record against the Italian, beating him in Bucharest last year.
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