Novak Djokovic's hopes of capitalising on a depleted draw at the French Open were dashed as he suffered a stunning five-set defeat to 19-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca. The 24-time grand slam champion vomited into the clay after four hours on court, having seen a two-set lead evaporate against an opponent 20 years his junior.
Fonseca triumphed 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in four hours and 53 minutes, securing the biggest win of his career. The teenager showed remarkable composure to fight back from two sets down, saving break points in the fourth set before dominating the decider. 'I just enjoyed being on court. What a pleasure it was,' Fonseca said afterwards.
Djokovic, who had been seen as a favourite after Jannik Sinner's earlier exit, admitted his opponent was the better player in crucial moments. 'He just found incredible shots, lines. It was just amazing from his side,' said the Serb. This is only the second time Djokovic has lost from two sets up, the first being at the 2010 French Open against Jürgen Melzer.
The 39-year-old Djokovic has struggled with injury this year and acknowledged the demanding surface took its toll. 'Considering I was injured for three months and trying to come back, I think the level was really good,' he said. Fonseca, who has been tipped as a future star, now faces a potential quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev.
