PARIS.- The young Brazilian Joao Fonseca performed a real feat in Roland Garros: He lifted two sets against and defeated the legendary Novak Djokovic this Friday, in a third-round duel that lasted almost five hours.
Without giving in after a start to the match that made things very difficult for him, Fonseca, 19 years old and number 30 in the world, ended up winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 and 7-5 against a 39-year-old opponent who will have to continue waiting to achieve a historic 25th title of the grand slamthe obsession that has followed him since he conquered the US Open in 2023.
Former world number one and currently fourth in the ranking, the Serbian star missed a great opportunity, since number one, Jannik Sinnerwas surprisingly eliminated by the Argentine Juan Manuel Cerúndolo on Thursday, in the second round, and number two, Carlos Alcarazdoes not participate in this edition of the French Open due to an injury.
Fonseca thus achieves the great blow of his, for now, short career, beating a world Top 5 for the first time and, furthermore, a Djokovic for whom he feels enormous admiration.
His rival on Sunday in the round of 16 will be the winner of the duel between the Norwegian Casper Ruud (16th) and the American Tommy Paul (21st).
Djokovic blew a two-set lead
“Nole” had taken control of the match very early, taking the first two sets with his effectiveness from the best days in the decisive moments, demonstrating his instinct to know when to kill each set.
The first signs of vulnerability began to be noticed at the beginning of the third set, where the Serbian already gave in with his entrance serve and had to swim against the current in a set that Fonseca concluded with an ace and a 6-3.
The fourth set was more even and the Brazilian broke away almost at the end to string two games in a row and end up winning 7-5, opening the door to the fifth and final set to the joy of an audience dedicated to the spectacle.
There the forces were equally balanced and Djokovic reached 5-4, one game away from achieving victory, but Fonseca won with his serve for 5-5, then broke and sealed his victory with his serve, with a tremendous 7-5 on the court Philippe Chatrierthe Roland Garros headquarters.
