Coco Gauff on Joao Fonseca: Talent is Evident, Experience Will Follow

Question: Joao Fonseca is starting to find his footing at the top level. What are the main difficulties playing against top players? What do they do differently and how can this gap be closed?

Gauff: I think it all comes down to experience. Sometimes it feels like you`re playing just as well, maybe even better, but the top players know how to perform in decisive moments. That`s what makes the difference.

Fonseca, of course, is incredibly talented and is already showing great results. Everything will come with experience and time. For guys, by the way, it`s a bit different – the physical aspect plays a bigger role. The fact that he`s reaching the third round of a Grand Slam at 18 and doing these things, especially on the men`s tour where the physical difference between an 18-year-old and, say, a 23-year-old is more noticeable than in the women`s game, is impressive.

It will be very interesting to see where he is in a couple of years. Sometimes you wish for quick results, and you don`t always realize how much you can grow over these years. I`m sure his team is guiding him well.

Question: Is there a shortcut, or does it all just come down to experience?

Gauff: Well, the most obvious way is natural talent, that`s the main `accelerator` (smiles). Fonseca already has that, so he`s lucky. But when it comes to quarterfinals, semifinals, or finals of major tournaments, you can`t do without experience there. That comes with time,” Gauff stated during her press conference.