Novak Djokovic may have lost last night, but he certainly exited Roland Garros in style.
And, in falling to defeat, the Serbian legend has paved the way for a new superstar to emerge, with Joao Fonseca truly announcing himself as a threat on the ATP Tour.
Many had been discussing this teenage sensation for some time now, and despite boasting two ATP-level titles to his name, he was yet to enjoy that truly special run where he toppled one of the sport’s best.
Well, to outlast the 24-time Grand Slam champion in a five-set thriller on Philippe Chatrier certainly qualifies as a statement victory.
Andy Roddick, reviewing this thrilling encounter, was keen to ensure that people did not overreact with regard to Novak Djokovic following his loss.
Andy Roddick reviews Novak Djokovic’s loss at Roland Garros to Joao Fonseca
Speaking on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the American was justifiably left stunned by what he had witnessed.
And, whilst he reserved unequivocal praise for Fonseca, Roddick was also just as impressed with Djokovic’s timeless quality, which once again shone through.
How many Grand Slam titles will Joao Fonseca win in his career?
What a match!
“I mean, listen, I don’t know how to define Novak,” he began. “I don’t know how to… I mean, it’s no different. I mean, him losing that match, it’s weird when you see someone as accomplished as him lose a match like that, me walking and shake my head and go, I don’t understand how he does it.
“Like, managing his way through that match obviously ad nauseam, everyone’s been talking about the conditions. He hasn’t played tennis. Like, his body hasn’t been stressed like this since January. That’s an eternity. Especially when you’re almost 40 years old.”
It was not just the physical feat which impressed Roddick, although he added: “So, the body surviving, playing the level that he played, I thought he played great. I’m curious to see what other analysts think, and I hope it doesn’t fall into the narrative of, you know, well, he’s just not as good. I thought he played great. I thought Novak played amazingly well.
“Like, weirdly, he probably feels better about Wimbledon after this tournament than maybe going into it. I think there’s less question marks. And if Carlos isn’t at Wimbledon? Shortlist. Still starts with Jannik, but he’s on the shortlist.”
Djokovic has already pinpointed the area of his game that let him down vs Fonseca.
What’s next for Novak Djokovic after Roland Garros?
Well, given what we have seen from Djokovic over the last few years, we likely won’t see him again until Wimbledon.
After all, with all the experience he has gained across over two decades on tour, he hardly needs to re-acclimatise to the new surface. He is a master of them all.
As such, he will likely play no grass-court warm-up tournaments, just as he chose not to last year, and the year before, and every year before since 2018.
Will Joao Fonseca be the man to break up Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance?
If not, who will be?
Given he entered Paris with a cloud over his fitness, the next month could be crucial to allow his 39-year-old body to recover and prepare for the grass.
Many are tipping this to be Djokovic’s best-ever chance at that 25th Grand Slam title, with Carlos Alcaraz having already withdrawn from Wimbledon. He will not want to pass this opportunity up.
