Novak Djokovic’s quest for a historic 25th Grand Slam title has concluded in a surprising twist.
In a promising tournament with an open field, the iconic Serbian star faced an unexpected exit in the third round at the French Open, succumbing to Brazil’s João Fonseca in a dramatic five-set showdown (4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5) on Friday.
This stunning defeat follows the earlier exit of top seed Jannik Sinner, who was knocked out by Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round.
The 39-year-old seemed to be in command early on, clinching the first two sets. However, the intense 33-degree heat proved to be a formidable foe against the young and rising star Fonseca.
Despite holding the prestigious record for the most Grand Slam titles in ATP history, Djokovic has been stalled at 24 for nearly three years, with his last victory being at the 2023 US Open.
“It was an incredible experience being on the court against him for the first time,” Fonseca remarked. “I focused on hitting the ball as hard as I could. Djokovic doesn’t miss—he still feels like he’s 20. By the end, I could feel his fitness; it was unbelievable.”
Reflecting on his impressive performance, he quipped, “I felt like (big server) John Isner today. I’ve never done anything like this before!”
Time is relentless, and this defeat to Fonseca marks Djokovic’s first loss to a teenager at a Grand Slam (he was previously 18-0) and his earliest exit from Roland-Garros since 2009.
This defeat also holds historical significance, being the first Round of 16 in men’s Grand Slam history (since 1968) without any former Grand Slam champion.
Instead, fresh faces have the opportunity to rise to the pinnacle of tennis, as top seeds Alexander Zverev (No. 2), Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 4), and Andrey Rublev (No. 11) chase their inaugural Grand Slam titles.
The next champion will be the first since Jannik Sinner at the 2024 Australian Open to achieve first-time major glory.
–with files from The Associated Press
