Novak Djokovic has failed in his quest to win a record-breaking 25th grand slam title after losing to João Fonseca at Roland Garros.
Djokovic held a 2-0 set lead, but the 19-year-old Brazilian bounced back to win the next three sets – producing the stunning victory against the Serbian superstar.
The 39-year-old ended up losing 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in the five-set thriller.
With Carlos Alcaraz absent from the tournament, Jannik Sinner faltering under the Parisian sun on Thursday and Djokovic losing in the third round, it now means there will be a maiden grand slam winner in the men’s singles tournament.
When Djokovic won the second set, the third-round contest appeared all but over.
The 24-time grand slam champion held a nearly insurmountable record of 289-1 when leading by two sets to none in majors – according to the TNT broadcast – and Fonseca having a mountain to climb may be an understatement.
But the No. 28 seed slowly but surely climbed his way back from the brink.
Not only did Fonseca have to beat the most successful men’s singles tennis player of all time, but also all the odds. According to the TNT broadcast, this was Djokovic’s first grand slam loss to a teenager.
The Brazilian, however, did it in style as the crowd started to back his effort while sensing the possibility of an epic comeback.
While Djokovic tired under the sweltering sun beaming down on Court Philippe-Chatrier, it looked like Fonseca was growing in energy – and belief – thanks to a booming serve.
Fonseca’s power came to the fore as the game neared its conclusion with the rangy Brazilian’s serves becoming more and more dominant. Afterward, he even compared himself to the retired American who used to terrorize opponents with an explosive first serve.
“I felt like John Isner,” the teenager joked before thanking all of his fellow Brazilians in the crowd.
With the three-time Roland Garros winner serving at 5-5 in the fifth set, Fonseca seized the initiative with the most delicate of touches.
After exchanging blows, the youngster raced on to a Djokovic drop shot before exquisitely returning with a faint backhand of his own, leaving his opponent with his hands on his knees in disbelief.
The fairytale victory was starting to seem real with the youngster serving to win the match at 6-5 in the final set. After exchanging points, he proceeded to rip three consecutive aces past Djokovic to seal it with a smile.
A very happy Fonseca paid homage to his opponent during his TNT interview while trying to catch his breath.
“I mean, what an idol we have. It’s a pleasure just stepping on the court against him,” he said of Djokovic. “Just thanking him.”
He also made a point of picking out his mother in the crowd to wish her a happy birthday, with the family sharing a Parisian night they will not forget.
For Djokovic, this will go down as an opportunity missed but was gracious at the end as he embraced Fonseca at the net after the match-winning ace. It was a moment of class as the on-court clock displayed the match time – four hours and 53 minutes.
“I told him that he deserved to win,” the Serbian said during his press conference. “He played an unbelievable match and should be proud of himself. I am wishing him good luck for the rest of the tournament.”
With no Alcaraz and Sinner standing in his way, this was a real chance for the veteran to take the sole lead of top spot on the list of most singles’ grand slam titles, ending his tie with Margaret Court.
When asked in his post-match press conference if this could have been his last match at Roland Garros, Djokovic replied, “I don’t know.”
The men’s tournament has now been blown wide open and there will now be a new major winner in men’s singles guaranteed for the first time since the Australian Open in 2024.
Fonseca will face Casper Ruud on Sunday after the Norwegian beat Tommy Paul in a five-set comeback win on Friday.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
