PARIS (AP) — There will be a new men’s champion at the French Open after Novak Djokovic followed Jannik Sinner out of Roland Garros in a five-set stunner on Friday.
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca beat 24-time major winner Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in the third round to follow Thursday’s huge upset, when No. 1 Sinner — last year’s runner-up lost to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
“Ten minutes after the match I could realize a little bit what I did, what I achieved,” the 19-year-old Fonseca said. “How difficult it was and how amazing it was for me.”
Djokovic’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title was ended and it was just the second time he lost from two sets up, the other also coming in Paris in 2010.
Along with Daniil Medvedev, Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka, all the men’s major winners are out, thus guaranteeing that a new pair of hands will raise the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy aloft on June 7 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“Of course, Jannik and Djokovic out, there’s more chances,” said Fonseca, who next faces two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, who beat Tommy Paul 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 7-5.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev, the 2024 runner-up, also advanced to the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win late Friday over Frenchman Quentin Halys.
The 39-year-old Djokovic faded as the court slowed in the evening cool.
“Tough one for me to lose,” Djokovic said. “I was barely standing on my legs toward the end of the match.”
In the final game, Djokovic had a break point for 6-6 but Fonseca served out with three consecutive aces and became the first teenager to beat Djokovic at a Grand Slam tournament.
“I just enjoyed being on court and what a pleasure it was. It’s my first stepping on court against him,” Fonseca said. “We still think he’s 20. At the end of the match I think he was more fit than me, that’s crazy.”
Fonseca wished his mother in the crowd happy birthday and thanked all the Brazilians who turned up to watch.
Djokovic doubts
This wasn’t as big an upset as Sinner’s loss because Djokovic came to Paris with doubts.
After he lost the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, a shoulder injury limited his clay-court buildup to one competitive match and Djokovic labored for at least three hours in each of his previous two rounds before facing the full fury of Fonseca’s booming forehand.
“Taking everything in consideration and all the circumstances, I think the level was really good,” said Djokovic, whose last major title was the 2024 U.S. Open.
The heat that stressed Sinner also got to Djokovic, who applied ice packs on both sides of his face during changeovers. Djokovic snapped at a television camera operator for getting too close to his face at one point.
By the fifth set he couldn’t hide his fatigue: He hunched over the advertising boards, his forearms dangling; slumped back in his chair with a towel on his head; grabbed his head with his hands.
He was gracious in defeat.
“I told him (after the match) that he deserved to win and he should be proud of himself,” Djokovic said. “We’ve all seen today why there is hype around him.”
Djokovic said he was unsure if he would play at the French Open next year, although he said the same after his semifinal defeat to Sinner last year.
Kostyuk keeps going
Still unbeaten on clay this season, Marta Kostyuk reached the fourth round for the second time and set up a big match against four-time champion Iga Swiatek in the women’s draw.
The 15th-ranked Ukrainian extended her winning streak on clay to 15 matches with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Viktorija Golubic on yet another hot day in Paris.
She lost to Swiatek in the fourth round in 2021. A rematch is coming up next after Swiatek defeated fellow Polish player Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4.
Swiatek has won in straight sets all three times against Kostyuk and boasts a 43-3 record at Roland Garros.
Seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina was another Ukrainian woman to advance. She beat Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-3.
A dominant win
Also advancing was 36-year-old Sorana Cirstea, who routed Solana Sierra and became the oldest player in the Open Era to claim a 6-0, 6-0 win in a Grand Slam tournament. She next faces China’s Wang Xiyu, who has still not dropped a set.
Eighth-seeded Mirra Andreeva progressed with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova and leads the women’s tour with 32 victories this season.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
