Joao Fonseca came under a bit of scrutiny earlier this week when he commented on Novak Djokovic’s proposed rule change for tennis.
The Serbian had argued that he’d like to see the scoring system completely revamped, shortened to just four sets.
Then, as the Canadian Open got underway, many of the ATP Tour’s biggest stars were questioned on this proposed change.
Both Ben Shelton and Fonseca reacted to Djokovic’s proposal, with the latter offering a much harsher view.
How many Grand Slam titles will Joao Fonseca win in his career?
What a match!
He argued: “But I think he’s saying that because of his physique, you know. He’s getting older. Well, that’s what I can say.”
This, unsurprisingly, did not go down well amongst some fans, with Joao Fonseca having now clarified his comments.
Joao Fonseca clarifies his Novak Djokovic ‘getting older’ comments
Speaking after his latest win in Montreal, this time over Casper Ruud, one journalist sought to give Fonseca the platform to defend himself.
Asked if he was joking when poking fun at Novak Djokovic, the 19-year-old insisted: “I was joking. I mean, we know Novak is getting older, but of course, I would do the same as him if I knew. I mean, I think he was joking as well talking about that.
“Yeah, of course, I mean, playing four fricking sets, I like it a lot, because I played good in Next Gen. So, yeah, of course, I was joking.”
Fonseca beat Stefanos Tsitsipas to kick-start his campaign in Canada, and most recently overcame Ruud. His run gets no easier, with Shelton next up.
Joao Fonseca’s golden opportunity at the Canadian Open
Whilst his next opponent represents a hugely difficult challenge, there’s no denying the opportunity that has presented itself to Fonseca.
After all, if he is to defeat the defending champion Shelton in the next round, his half of the draw has already opened up massively.
Only Learner Tien and Jakub Mensik remain who are seeded higher than he is, and he has won four of his five meetings against these two fellow youngsters combined.
If he can bypass his Round of 16 opponent, Fonseca will arguably never get a better chance to reach a Masters 1000 final.
Discussing his dreams of claiming titles of this magnitude, he admitted, when speaking about praise he has received from Gustavo Kuerten and Jannik Sinner: “How do I balance? I just think that I’m not one of them yet.
Who will win the men’s singles title at the Canadian Open?
“Of course, my dream is to be. My dream is to inspire kids, people, and do half of what these guys did. So I just try to focus on my routine and what I can do to improve each day as an athlete and as a person, and I think that’s it.
“I think, also, I had a good base. My parents taught me well to keep my feet on the ground. That’s also a good thing I need to think of.”
