At Wimbledon, where Fonseca became the youngest man to reach the third round since 2011, a reporter asked him to describe “the most difficult part” of his career thus far:
“[It is] to understand that you need time to have experience, like all the other players.” Fonseca said, acknowledging that a great junior career doesn’t necessarily evolve into enormous success as a pro. “The mental part is very different. How the pros play is very different also. Sometimes you’re going to play your best tennis, and you’re [still] going to lose to some great players because, I mean, tennis is a sport with opportunities. If you don’t take the opportunity, you’re going to lose the match.”
The message may sound obvious, but internalizing it to the point where seizing opportunity becomes the mental equivalent of the muscle memory that guides the forehand is at the core of Fonseca’s tennis sensibility. After defeating Frenchman Pierre Hugues Herbert in the second round at Roland Garros, Fonseca described his attitude this way:
“I would say in important moments I just try to be brave, to be courage[ous].” He described how, after eking out the first set in a tiebreaker, he found himself down 0-3 in the second-set tiebreaker. He responded by hitting a few “amazing” shots, adding, “I think that’s the difference between the good guys in the Top 50 and the Top 10. [You] need to be brave, you need to know how to play in important moments.”
