19-year-old Fonseca sensationally knocks Djokovic out of Roland Garros
Kyiv • UNN
The Brazilian Fonseca knocked Djokovic out of Roland Garros, coming back from two sets down. The Serb lost his chance for a 25th title due to injuries and fatigue.
Novak Djokovic's hopes for a record 25th Grand Slam title have fallen — for now. Rising Brazilian tennis star João Fonseca knocked him out of the French Open (Roland Garros) on Friday night in a thrilling five-set match, coming back from two sets down to win 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, UNN reports, citing The New York Times.
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At 39 years old, Djokovic may never have a better chance. With Carlos Alcaraz absent due to a wrist injury and Jannik Sinner eliminated from the tournament on Thursday, the path to breaking the Grand Slam record he shares with Margaret Court seemed open to him. Sinner and Alcaraz had shared victories in the previous nine Grand Slam tournaments, with Djokovic losing to one of them in six of those events.
But on a sweltering Parisian day, as temperatures rose again to 32 degrees Celsius, Djokovic succumbed to the Brazilian — whom many believe will become a top-tier star — after leading 2-0 in sets.
In his first match against Djokovic, and his first on one of the four major Grand Slam courts, 19-year-old Fonseca became only the second person to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion after trailing by two sets. The first was Jürgen Melzer at this same tournament in 2010 – 301 other attempts ended in failure.
It was a remarkable feat of physical and mental endurance by Fonseca, and his presence of mind and composure in the final stages of the match were simply incredible, the publication notes. "The fifth set was played with complete dedication," Fonseca said at a press conference. "I couldn't even think. I was just trying to play."
The result leaves Djokovic to regret a missed opportunity — although he said later he did not want to enter into a discussion on the subject — and to recover from injuries. Prior to Roland Garros, he had played only once since March 12 due to a shoulder injury, and as the Parisian day turned into evening, he experienced various states of discomfort.
"(There were) several moments towards the end of the match where I felt I could barely stand on my feet," Djokovic said at a press conference. "And seeing the fans lift my spirits and support me was something truly magical, to be honest."
"Epic battle, João Fonseca. And a hard-fought victory that you deserve. I wish you luck in the rest of the tournament and the incredible career that awaits you," Djokovic posted on social media on Saturday.