"I consider it a great achievement to reach the third round of Wimbledon at my age," says Fonseca

João Fonseca has qualified for the third round of Wimbledon. The 18-year-old Brazilian, the youngest player to reach the last 16 on the London grass since Bernard Tomic in 2011, defeated Jacob Fearnley (6-4, 6-1, 7-6) and then Jenson Brooksby (6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4) to advance to this stage of the tournament.

In a press conference, Fonseca reflected on his progress, as he prepares to face Nicolas Jarry in an all-South American clash for a spot in the round of 16.

"I feel like I’m improving a lot. When I won the Next Gen ATP Finals, I was ranked 150th in the world, and now I’m practically in the top 50. People are starting to know me, there are expectations around me, and I feel like I’m evolving as a person and as an athlete every week.

I love this life, and I consider it a great achievement to reach the third round of Wimbledon at my age. I think I’m improving a lot and quickly on grass.

Lately, we’ve been focusing a lot on improving my net game, especially approach shots, so I can volley more comfortably.

In any case, the area where I’ve grown the most is the mental aspect. This is my first full year as a professional, and the mental demands of the tour are huge.

I think where I’ve improved the most is in playing my best on the most important points of matches, understanding that I need to be more solid and not always go for the lines looking for winners," he explained to Tennis World Italia.