Fonseca amazes Djokovic in the epic third round…

Novak Djokovic’s wait for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title continues after teenage star Joao Fonseca produced a stunning comeback to win a five-set epic in the third round of the French Open.
The Serb was the only player left in the draw to have won a major title and was probably the favorite to go all the way after Thursday’s defeat of world number one Jannik Sinner.

But after winning the first two sets, Djokovic was gradually overwhelmed by the 19-year-old Fonseca, who responded by imposing the decider.
In front of a vociferous crowd, Fonseca managed to come back from 3-1 down in the fifth set to win 4-6 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-5 after an exhausting four hours and 53 minutes.
Fonseca is the first teenager to beat the Serbian in a major, a testament to the coolness he showed under pressure against one of the greatest of all time.
It is only the third time in 22 appearances that Djokovic has failed to reach the second week at Roland Garros.
With Sinner out and Carlos Alcaraz missing the clay-court Major due to injury, Djokovic, who has not added to his tally since lifting the 2023 US Open, will wonder whether his best opportunity to win that elusive 25th Grand Slam has been snatched from his grasp.
Fonseca, who will face two-time finalist Casper Ruud or American Tommy Paul, the 24th seed, in the fourth round, will be joined in the second week by fellow 19-year-old Rafael Jodar, who has emerged as a genuine title contender after winning 18 of his 21 clay matches in 2026.

On another sweltering afternoon in Paris, Djokovic started on cruise control, breaking his young opponent in the opening game of the match and twice more in the first two sets, building a 2-0 lead.
Although Djokovic broke himself in the eighth game of the first set, he responded in style with a hold at love while in the second he soared at his crowd-pleasing best, pointing to the sky and beckoning Court Philippe-Chatrier to raise the noise after belying his age to chase a drop-shot before stretching for a forehand winner.

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As in the second round meeting with Valentin Royer, Djokovic’s level dropped in the third set but on this occasion he was unable to reassert his dominance.
He became increasingly vocal in the frustration he directed at himself and his coaching team and looked fatigued, hunching over the towel rack exhausted on several occasions while, at the opposite end of the court, Fonseca crunched thundering forehands and toyed with the 39-year-old with multiple drop-shot winners.
Djokovic came out fighting after taking a long break before the decider but, although it was he who struck the first blow – breaking Fonseca in game four, it was the teenager – playing a fifth set for only the third time in his career – who seized the opportunity as the match reached its crescendo.
After scoring just 11 winners in the first two sets, he scored 22 to Djokovic’s 14 in the fifth, including three drop shot winners in quick succession – which elicited pained smiles from his opponent to produce the decisive break at 5-5.
Djokovic earned a break point – his 16th – while Fonseca served for the match, but the Brazilian nervelessly fired three consecutive aces to secure a stunning comeback victory at the first attempt.