Novak Djokovic expressed uncertainty about his future participation in the French Open after a stunning defeat to Joao Fonseca in the third round, dashing his hopes of securing a record 25th Grand Slam title. Despite leading by two sets, the Brazilian teenager staged a remarkable comeback over almost five hours, clinching victory with a 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 scoreline.
This unexpected loss marked Djokovic’s earliest exit from Roland Garros since 2009, with the Serbian tennis star leaving the court after the match by gesturing a heartfelt acknowledgement to the crowd. When questioned about his potential return next year, Djokovic responded twice with uncertainty, stating, “I don’t know.”
Having remained at 24 major titles since the 2023 US Open, Djokovic faces the challenge of enhancing his record further. Despite emerging as a top contender following the surprising elimination of world number one Jannik Sinner and the absence of two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz due to injury, Djokovic was reluctant to dwell on missed opportunities.
The unexpected outcome ensures that a new men’s Grand Slam champion will be crowned at this year’s French Open, marking the end of a streak where Sinner or Alcaraz emerged victorious in the past nine majors. Djokovic praised Fonseca for his remarkable performance, acknowledging the young player’s talent and acknowledging his exceptional level of play during the match.
“I congratulated him and told him that he deserved to win and played an unbelievable match, and he should be proud of himself,” Djokovic commented. “The kind of level of tennis we’ve seen him play created a lot of hype around him, and I think we’ve all seen today why there is hype around him. The level was amazing.”