Novak Djokovic has failed in his bid to win a record 25th Grand Slam title after losing to Joao Fonseca at Roland Garros.
Djokovic had a 2–0 advantage in the sets, but the 19-year-old Brazilian came back to win the next three sets and secure a big victory over the Serbian star.
The 39-year-old ended up losing 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in a dramatic five-set match.
With Carlos Alcaraz missing from the tournament, Jannik Sinner weakened in Paris on Thursday and Djokovic eliminated in the third round, it means the men's tournament will now have a new winner for the first time at a Grand Slam.
When Djokovic won the second set, the match seemed almost over.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion had a nearly undefeated 289–1 record when leading 2–0 in sets at Grand Slam tournaments, according to TNT, and for Fonseca it seemed like a near-impossible mission.
But the 28th-ranked player gradually began his comeback.
According to the broadcast, this was the first time Djokovic lost a Grand Slam match to a teenager.
Fonseca not only had to defeat the most successful tennis player in men's history, but also the statistics against him, but the Brazilian did so in style, as the public began to support his comeback attempt.
While Djokovic tired under the scorching sun on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Fonseca seemed to be gaining energy and confidence thanks to his powerful serve.
Fonseca's strength became decisive towards the end of the match, with his serve becoming increasingly dominant. After the match, he was compared to former American player John Isner, known for his powerful serves.
"I felt like John Isner," the Brazilian joked.
For Djokovic, it will remain a missed opportunity, but he showed respect in the end by hugging Fonseca at the net after the decisive point. At that moment the scoreboard showed the match time: four hours and 53 minutes.
Given the absence of Alcaraz and Sinner, this was a real opportunity for the veteran to move alone to the top of the Grand Slam title list, ending his tie with Margaret Court, writes CNN.
When asked after the match if this could be his last appearance in Paris, Djokovic replied: "I don't know."
The men's tournament is now fully open and will have a new Grand Slam winner for the first time since the 2024 Australian Open.
