French Open: 19-year-old stuns Djokovic, becomes first teenager to beat Serbian legend at Grand Slam

PARIS: In yet another shocking upset at the French Open, the 19-year-old Joao Fonseca outclassed 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, becoming the first-ever teenager to beat the Serbian icon at a major event.

Fonseca made a sensational comeback from being two sets down, bringing down the curtains to Djokovic’s campaign by 6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, just hours after Jannik Sinner, the world number one, was stunned by Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Fonseca slammed the door shut on Djokovic’s dream of a 25th Grand Slam title in an epic that lasted four hours and 53 minutes.

In absolute disbelief, Fonseca said after the match, as quoted by ATP’s official website, “I actually did not believe I could win. I just played, I just enjoyed being on court. What a pleasure it was, and what an idol we have. It is a pleasure just stepping on the court against him. It is my first time stepping on court against him, so just thanking him, and I am very happy.”

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Fonseca was just five points away from what seemed an imminent loss, serving at 3-4, 15/40 in the fourth set, but the 28th seed fended off those two break points and continued the momentum to take the match into a decider. Djokovic had moments of physical struggles, but the 39-year-old was quick to get a 3-1 lead in the final set.

But Fonseca fought and fought, getting six of the final eight points, notching a win for the ages, his second against a top-10 star after outclassing Andrey Rublev at the 2025 Australian Open.

“I was not thinking about [the conditions changing],” Fonseca said. “I was just trying to hit the ball as fast as I could. I mean, Djokovic, he just does not miss. We still think he is 20. At the end of the match, I think he was more fit than me, it is crazy.”

“But I felt as the day was getting darker, it was a bit slower, and for me, that was better because I could produce a little bit more power for sure. In the beginning, I was struggling a little bit with the heat, because I touched the ball and it just went. Then after, I felt better,: he continued. (ANI)