Novak Djokovic was sensationally eliminated from the French Open after a remarkable comeback by 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca, who beat the world No.3 in five sets.
Djokovic raced into a 5-1 lead in the opening set of their third-round match but held on to take the first two sets 6-4 6-4. Fonseca responded with superb tennis, claiming the third 6-3 and turning the contest in his favour. He moved a break ahead early in the fourth, survived a tense game at 4-4 when Djokovic failed to convert further chances, then broke again at 5-5 and served out the set to force a decider.
In the fifth set Fonseca recovered from 3-1 down to complete a stunning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 victory. The match lasted four hours and 53 minutes — the second-longest match at Roland Garros this year — as temperatures climbed to around 33°C.
The result is a major shock: Djokovic, 39, had been a leading favourite with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury and Jannik Sinner having been upset the previous day. The defeat postpones Djokovic’s bid to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles and opens up the Paris draw.
Fonseca, playing Djokovic for the first time, kept remarkably calm throughout. Courtside he admitted he had not expected to win and said he simply tried to enjoy the moment. He explained the heat made the ball fly early on and that as the day cooled he could generate more power; he also described the experience of facing his idol as “crazy” and said he was thrilled to finish the match the way he did.
Djokovic paid tribute to Fonseca after the match, calling it an “incredible match to be part of” and praising the Brazilian for producing the better shots in the crucial moments of the fourth and fifth sets. He said Fonseca deserved the win and had played an “unbelievable match.”
Other results from the third round included:
– Andrey Rublev, the 11th seed, beating Nuno Borges 7-5, 7-6(7-2), 7-6(7-2) after tight tiebreaks.
– 19-year-old Rafael Jodar surviving a five-set battle with Alex Michelsen, winning 7-6(7-2), 6-7(5-7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
– Jakub Mensik reaching the fourth round for the first time by beating 8th seed Alex de Minaur 0-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
– Jesper de Jong upsetting 13th seed Karen Khachanov in five sets, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-2.
On the women’s side, four-time champion Iga Swiatek advanced to the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Magda Linette and will face 15th seed Marta Kostyuk, who beat Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-3. Mirra Andreeva, last year’s semi-finalist, defeated Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2, while Jil Teichmann stunned 10th seed Karolina Muchova 6-1, 7-5.
Fonseca’s victory is one of the standout results of this year’s tournament and marks a breakthrough moment for the young Brazilian, who now moves into the fourth round of a major after producing some of the most inspired tennis of his fledgling career.