Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca staged a historic comeback from two sets down to defeat 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the third round of Roland Garros on Friday, May 29, 2026, in Paris.
The 19-year-old secured the victory with a 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 scoreline on Court Philippe Chatrier in a marathon match that lasted 4 hours and 53 minutes.
>>> French F1 Drivers Ocon and Hadjar Back PSG for Champions League Final vs Arsenal
According to tournament statistics, Djokovic had previously held a 289-1 record when leading by two sets at major events.
The defeat makes Fonseca the youngest player in history to beat the Serbian icon at a Grand Slam tournament.
Fonseca's Tactical Shift
Following the victory, Fonseca detailed how he managed to shift the momentum of the match after dropping the opening two sets.
"The vibe was unreal. I was just enjoying it.
Every big point for him or for me, the crowd was going crazy," Fonseca told press. "It was an amazing vibe.
For sure their support meant a lot for me to keep believing and to keep fighting."
The world No. 30 explained that he adjusted his tactics to counter the defensive mastery and variety of the three-time Roland Garros champion.
"In the beginning he was doing a lot of drop shots. Every time he was aggressive, he did drop shots.
He was commanding the point pretty well, and for me it was difficult. I think that was the main point," Fonseca said.
