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.

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff made it through to the French Open third round on Thursday after the shock elimination of men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Sabalenka survived 7-5, 6-2 against France’s Elsa Jacquemot, contrasting to the loss by her fellow world No. 1 on the men’s side.

Gauff extended the defence of her 2025 title here, putting out Mayar Sherif of Egypt 6-3, 6-2, with the winner equally balanced between 23 winners and the same in unforced errors.    

Sabalenka had to scrap in the opening against Jacquemot, requiring three set points for the early lead.

But the second set opened up for the top seed Sabalenka. But the runner-up a year ago to Gauff was broken, 5-2, as she served for the match.

Sabalenka drove a backhand winner down the line a game later for two match points. One was enough to send the favourite through to a match against Daria Kasatkia.

The top seed advanced with more than 40 winners and broke her opponent four times. 

“It was a tricky match, tricky opponent,” the winner said. “She forced me to step up and play another level.

“I’m happyI was able to handle it and get the win.”

Sabalenka said that in the tight moments she had to remind herself of her strengths,

“I had to remind myself that I’m strong and I can handle the situation. I tried to work as fast as possible with my legs and accelerate the racquet head, stay aggressive and put pressure on her.”

Formerly top-ranked Naomi Osaka shrugged off any effects of a minor car crash she was involved in this week to earn a 7-6 (1), 6-4 win over Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic.

The pair last played seven years ago with Osaka now leading the series 3-0.

The former world No. 1 from Japan explained her Paris traffic incident:

“I wasn’t scared for my life, but I was just, like, whoa, this bus is really backing up into us, and you could hear the car crunching. 

“That was a really interesting situation. So I hope it doesn’t happen again today.

“It was like it just couldn’t see us. It literally was crunching the car, and it just kept going. I was a little bit worried that it would turn the car, but I think eventually it saw us, so…”

Osaka returned to the Paris third round for the first time in seven years and now plays Iva Jovic.

Oleksandra Oliynykova, who has made a point this week of speaking out forcefully against the Russian invasion of her native Ukraine, defeated Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 (5).

She becomes the fourth Ukrainian woman into the third round along with Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk and Yulia Starodubtseva.

Osaka returned to the Paris third round for the first time in seven years 

Austrian Julia Grabher had to quit against sixth seed Amanda Anisimova due to breathing troubles.

Grabher lost the opening set in 25 minutes as she was plagued by coughing and won only six points.

She eventually retired after her opponent returned from a bathroom break after winning the set 6-0.