Joao Fonseca defeated Novak Djokovic, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, in the third round of the French Open.
The Brazilian trailed by two sets to love against the three-time champion, who hadn’t lost a match where he’d won the first two sets since 2010.
Making the impossible possible, Fonseca battled back to defeat Djokovic in a five-set classic on Court Philippe Chatrier.
How many Grand Slam titles will Joao Fonseca win in his career?
What a match!
After the match, Fonseca commented on his Roland Garros chances.
Joao Fonseca insists he is focusing ‘match by match’ despite becoming a French Open favourite
During his post-match press conference, Fonseca was asked how far he thinks he can go at Roland Garros, with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Djokovic out of the competition.
“It’s my first fourth round in my career; I’m just thinking about my next match; the guys are still playing,” said Fonseca.
“For now, I’m just enjoying the moment.
“I think just 10 minutes after the match, I could realise what I did, what I achieved, how difficult it was, and how amazing it was for me.
“I’m just in the fourth round; of course, Jannik [Sinner] and [Novak] Djokovic are out, there are more chances for guys that have been on tour longer, like Sascha [Zverev], Casper [Ruud] or whatever.
“I’m just focusing match by match. For me, it was just a great achievement being able to play my first round of 16, and I’m just going to enjoy the moment.”
Fonseca isn’t getting ahead of himself, but he would be forgiven for doing so, given the state of the French Open draw.
When Fonseca converted match point against Djokovic, he confirmed that a new Grand Slam champion would be crowned at Roland Garros.
And looking at his draw, why can’t it be him?
Joao Fonseca’s French Open draw
| Round | Highest-ranked potential opponent | Potential seeded opponents |
| 4R | Casper Ruud (16) | [15] Casper Ruud |
| QF | Andrey Rublev (13) | [11] Andrey Rublev, [26] Jakub Mensik |
| SF | Alexander Zverev (3) | [2] Alexander Zverev, [27] Rafael Jodar |
| F | Felix Auger-Aliassime (6) | [4] Felix Auger-Aliassime, [10] Flavio Cobolli, [18] Learner Tien, [19] Frances Tiafoe, [25] Francisco Cerundolo, [31] Brandon Nakashima |
Fonseca may need to beat Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, and Felix Auger-Aliassime to take the title.
That’s far from easy, but it’s as easy as it’s going to get.
If Fonseca can play as well as he did against Djokovic, and that’s a big if, he might just win his first Grand Slam title a week on Sunday…
Joao Fonseca reveals what he was telling himself when he was two sets down against Novak Djokovic
The only reason that Fonseca has a chance to win the French Open is because he bravely fought back from two sets to love down.
But what was he telling himself at that moment?
“Actually, I was not even believing in myself,” Fonseca admitted.
“It was tough to play against him in the heat, he was destroying me.
“If I hit it hard, the ball was coming back harder, and if I go higher, he was just doing drop shots and going aggressive.
“I just stayed, focusing on point by point, not focusing that I had three more sets to win, and I was just thinking let’s stay, let’s stay.
“I figured out that he was a little bit more tired; that gave me a little bit more hope.
“And fourth set, when I won the first set I was already tired, and the fifth set, it was all heart, I couldn’t even think, I was just trying to go and yeah, I think when I won the third set I started believing a little bit.”
Fonseca will need to keep that belief when he returns to play his fourth-round match.
The Brazilian will play two-time Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud in the last 16 on Sunday, May 31.
