Novak Djokovic refused to sink to self-pity after taking only his third loss in a five-set match at the French Open on Friday.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion lost 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7–5 to rising Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in an epic third-round contest at Roland Garros.

While his dream of breaking a record with an unprecedented 25 titles at the majors lies in tatters, the field at the clay-court major remains wide open, with Jannik Sinner out and Carlos Alcaraz missing through injury.

The 39-year-old Serb with three Paris trophies, was tested to the limit by his teenaged opponent.”A couple times where I felt like I was barely standing on my legs towards the end of the match,” he confessed.

“Looking at the crowd and seeing them lift my spirits and support me was
something really magical, honestly.

“So when I take out all the disappointment and negative thoughts about the match, you know, there’s a lot to be proud about, what I’ve been through, what I experienced,.

“I’m very grateful for this kind of experience.”

Though he came to Paris with only one Rome match in hand, Djokovic said he made up for his lack of court time.

“The amount of hours I’ve played in three matches here felt like I played every tournament in the last three months, to be honest. 

“I think I was playing good tennis, really good level. Considering I was injured for three months and trying to come back and then  going pretty much straight into Grand Slam on this surface that is very demanding and, for me, takes more time to get used to, to find my groove. 

“Taking everything in consideration and all the circumstances, I think the level was really good. 

“I was happy with my level. Of course, right now being disappointed right off the court, losing, being close to win it. That’s all I can say.”

Joao Fonseca signalled a likely changing of the tennis guard in the strongest possible fashion as he delivered three straight aces to wrap up a 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 defeat of Novak Djokovic on Friday at the French Open.

The 19-year-old Brazilian fought from two sets to love down for the second time this week in Paris to blow the draw wide open after a battle lasting for just under five hours.

Djokovic lost from two sets to love up for only the second time in his career; Juergen Melzer in 2010 performed the same miracle comeback against the 39-year-old Serb.

The record 24-time Grand Slam singles champion had won 11 of his previous 14 five-set matches at Roland Garros.

Fonseca saved a break point as he served in the fifth set for the biggest victory of his career. He fired more than 40 forehand winners in his upset.

The winner could barely take it all in.

“I didn’t believe I could win it, I just played and enjoyed being on the court. What a pleasure it was playing this idol.

“It was my first time stepping on court with him, I was just taking it all in.

“I’m just very happy.”

Djokovic looked like cruising as he won the opening pair of sets before the afternoon heat and pace of play from the youngster began to take a toll.

Fonseca slowly worked his way back into the contest with his Brazilian fans doing their best to cheer their latest tennis hero.

“I was not thinking about strategy, I was just trying to hit the ball as hard as i could,” the winner said. “Djokovic doesn’t miss, we all think he’s still in his 20s.

“I’d say at the end he was more fit than me, it’s crazy.”

Fonseca said that as afternoon heat dissipated, his shotmaking power increased.

“As it started getting darker I felt I could produce more power for sure. At the heart I was struggling with the heat.

“I was not feeling very good at the start, but then I felt better.”

He added: “I never believed that I could do three straight aces, never done that before. I never thought I could finish like that.

 Andrey Rublev backed up his Paris fourth-round showing from a year ago with a 7-5, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) defeat of Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

The 11th seed with a best here of the quarter-finals, defeated Nunes for the fifth time without a loss. 

“I was able to win in straight sets, and in some crucial moments when he had

opportunity to lead, I was able to stay there,” the winner said

“I was able to recover and to play well or serve well or hit a good winner. I was always able to come back.

Rublev is still working to break past the quarter-final barrier, where he has stalled 10 times at the majors.

Spain’s Rafael Jodar needed four and a quarter hours to get past Alex Michelsen, – both wearing the exact same kit down to caps and socks – 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The 29th-ranked Jodar, 19, playing in his second career major, won his 18th match of the season against three losses as he reached the fourth round for the first time.

Jannik Sinner’s 30-match win streak ended in brutal fashion on Thursday as the world No. 1 lost his second-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo after dominating in the first two sets.

The world No. 1 and runaway title favourite was struck by heat illness and cramping as he led two sets and 5-1 in the third.

But any chances of a routine straight-sets result evaporated in 33 Celsius heat,with Cerundolo earning the win of his life 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.

Sinner’s problems began late in the third set on the cusp of the win, with the 24-year-old likely starting to cramp while feeling poorly.

He was broken for 5-3 while serving for the match and lost 11 points in a row as his physical decline picked up speed.

The Italian leaned heavily on his racquet after points and appeared listless in his shot as his strength waned. He applied the ice towels and hand-held fan at every opportunity on changeovers as he slumped in his chair. 

The doctor and trainer arrived as the top seed stood 5-4, 0-40 and took him off court under the rules for what amounted to five minutes of treatment.

The session did little good as Cerundolo won the set to suddenly move into contention.

Sinner went off court after the set but showed no improvement as he lost seven games on the trot as the match hit the three-hour mark.

It was just a matter of time as Cerundolo finished off the fading world No. 1 with a volley winner on the first of three match points.

“It was tough for him, the Argentine winner said. “I also feel a bit lucky. He was serving to win the match. I hope he recovers quickly.

“I’m super-happy to be in the third round. Clay is my best surface and I hope to be ready for the next match.”

The loss was the second major shock for Sinner here after wasting three match points in the 2025 Paris final against Carlos Alcaraz.

Cerundolo is the fifth player at Roland Garros to defeat a world No. 1 before the third round in the Open era.

He is the first since Karol Kucera in 2000 to beat the world No. 1 here.

“I didn’t feel very well on court, but it can happen,” Sinner said. “I was in a good spot, but third set, I couldn’t serve it out. 

“Congrats to him. I don’t want to take anything away from him. He played a very solid match, especially also in the end.

“I struggled, starting to feel very dizzy (third set), very low on energy. 

“I tried to serve it out, but didn’t have a lot of energy. Fourth set, I let it go a little bit trying to have a bit more energy in the fifth. I couldn’t hold and then it all went a bit downwards.”   

Main photo:- Jannik Sinner suffering heat exhaustion as he loses from 2 sets and 5-1 up – ©ATPTour.com