Joao Fonseca delivered another shocking twist to this year’s French Open by besting Novak Djokovic in an enthralling five-set clash on Friday.
After going two sets down on Court Philippe Chatrier, Fonseca came back to defeat Djokovic, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, becoming the first teenager to defeat the 39-year-old at a major.
The Serb’s defeat guaranteed there will be a new Grand Slam champion crowned on June 7th, with Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic all also knocked out.
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Fonseca is now through to the fourth round of a major for the first time in his career and will take on Casper Ruud next.
Aged 19, the Brazilian is beginning to show why there has been so much hype around him, and now he has made history in Paris.
Joao Fonseca and Moise Kouame make history at Roland Garros
Fonseca isn’t the only young star shining in the French capital, with home hope Moise Kouame also taking the tennis world by storm.
At 17 years and 83 days old, Kouame became the second-youngest player to reach his maiden men’s singles Grand Slam third round this century, older only than Rafael Nadal in Wimbledon 2003 (17 years and 20 days old).
Like Fonseca, Kouame also knocked out a Grand Slam winner in his campaign, having overcome 2014 US Open champion Cilic in the first round.
According to Opta Ace, multiple teenagers have now beaten former major champions at a single Grand Slam event for the first time since Roland Garros in 1991.
Where do you think Joao Fonseca will be ranked at the end of the 2026 season?
That year, Michael Chang and Fabrice Santoro defeated Jimmy Connors and Mats Wilander, respectively.
Joao Fonseca’s potential path to a maiden Grand Slam final
With no Djokovic, Sinner, or Carlos Alcaraz left in the draw, Fonseca has a genuine opportunity to go all the way at Roland Garros.
Should he advance past the tricky assignment of clay-court specialist Ruud, he’ll face either Andrey Rublev or Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals.
A trip to the semifinals would likely see Fonseca pitted against Alexander Zverev, who also now has a golden chance to win his first major title.
The top half of the draw is certainly the weaker of the two, so if Fonseca gets to the final, there’s a good chance he will enter as the favourite.
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