Tennis player complained about the fans’ attitudes during a duel against Serbian Hamad Medjedovic, which was interrupted at times after complaints to the referee.
João Fonseca challenged the behavior of the Brazilian fans during the defeat to Serbian Hamad Medjedovic on his debut for Rome Open not Saturday. At times, the duel was interrupted by the referee after the European tennis player complained about the reactions of the Brazilian’s fans.
“The crowd was a point in the match, a lot of stops, I can’t say that was the fault of the defeat, but that matters. Brazilian fans think it’s a football game, but it’s not. I love the fans, but there has to be a little limit and respect. It doesn’t just bother the opponent, but it bothers me too. It’s just a question, I still love playing with the fans and I think it’s another lesson and opportunity to evolve. We continue, after a difficult defeat, but with our heads held high”, he said.
“I don’t mind them talking when I’m going to serve, I concentrate well, but when the opponent is swearing, I don’t know exactly what he was saying, if he was talking loudly to someone, while I was serving, it disturbed me, and I think I should have the first serve”, said Fonseca in an interview with ESPN.
In the game against Medjedovic, the Brazilian got into an argument with the chair referee and received a warning after throwing a ball off the court, showing irritation. For him, the incident reflected the tension of the match.
“I think the referee lost control of the match. I have nothing against him, I think he’s a great person, he speaks Portuguese, but he ended up losing control… From what I know about tennis, that’s why I went to talk to the referee, because, in the end, he lost control of the match and I also lost control. I said that I never complained, but I think he was making a wrong decision, and it was my analysis, but anyway, these are things that get heated during the match, but then I spoke to him afterwards, it was calm. These are things from match, the third set, it was 5-5, so the head gets a little warmer”, he declared.
On the court, the Brazilian was defeated by Medjedovic, current number 67 in the world, by 2 sets to 1with partials of 3/6, 6/3 and 7/6 (7/1). In Fonseca’s analysis, the wasted chances in the second set were decisive for the negative result.
“It’s a difficult match, the game of tennis is like that, with unpredictable players… It’s an ‘if’ that doesn’t exist, but if I had taken one of the break points I had in the second set, I could have finished the match in these two sets, but anyway, he (Medjedovic) managed to play well, put pressure on and took the set, and in the third I was left struggling, but those are things about the match. It was well played and they both played good tennis, and that happens. Obviously, they ask me if I’m frustrated, and It’s because of the opportunities, which appear less and less, but I’ve already identified this point and I’m striving to improve”, he said.
Still on the performance at the Roma Open, Fonseca believes that the key to better results on the world circuit is trying to reduce the margin of error. “Obviously I try to be more and more solid, but my game is to be aggressive, give the winner, go to the net, command the points. Yesterday I was feeling the ball less, not playing so well, I was doing my thing and controlling the match to a certain extent, but I think I continue with the same analysis. All players try to make less and less mistakes.”
Following the season, the Brazilian, currently 29th in the world, has the ATP 500 in Hamburg, Germany, on his calendar, which will be held between May 16th and 23rd. The competition will be the last before Roland Garros, but it will not count points for the line of favorites for the Paris Grand Slam. Asked about the possibility of not being seeded on French clay – the 32 best ranked teams avoid the first round – he said he doesn’t care about the ranking, but rather about his physical and mental condition.
“About the next tournament, we are in Hamburg, looking at the possibilities, thinking with my team, I haven’t sat down with them yet, but we are thinking. About the seeding at Roland Garros, I never really cared about the ranking, whether I’m going to be seeded 1 or 2, I always cared about how I’m doing physically and mentally. That way I’m more relaxed and I can play my best tennis, but anyway, that wouldn’t affect my decision but rather how I’ll be”, he concluded.
