Joao Fonseca won the first Grand Slam match of his career on Tuesday, beating No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev in three sets.
On a series of 14 consecutive victories, the 18-year-old Brazilian continues to string together impressive performances.
At a press conference, he revealed that he played this match without pressure:
“Everything was new for me, I was not the favorite. I walked onto the court with this mentality, ‘I’m an 18-year-old, he’s a Top 10 player.’ I tried to do my best.
I knew I could beat him, but I didn’t feel any pressure. When I was down two sets, I started to think a little more about winning the match, but I had to stay focused.
-The nerves kicked in, but I stayed mentally strong. I’m happy with the way I played today, but I’m focusing on the next match.
That’s the mindset of a champion, I’m just trying to focus on the next challenge. »
Fonseca will face Lorenzo Sonego in the second round, winner of Stan Wawrinka.
