João Fonseca became only the second man to beat Novak Djokovic from two sets down, winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in his first match on a Grand Slam show court.
With Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner out of the tournament, Djokovic missed a golden opportunity to claim a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic scolded a cameraman for invading his personal space during a changeover, telling him 'For God's sake, make some space' and reigniting the debate on player privacy.
Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon with a wrist injury and Sinner needs recovery time, potentially giving Djokovic another chance at the record as early as June 29.
Novak Djokovic's pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title ended in dramatic fashion at Roland Garros on Friday night. Rising Brazilian teenager João Fonseca knocked him out in a five-set thriller, coming from two sets down to win 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5. Djokovic had appeared in control after taking the first two sets 6-4, 6-4, but Fonseca mounted a stunning comeback on a sweltering Paris afternoon where temperatures pushed 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
In his first match against Djokovic, and his first on one of the four biggest Grand Slam courts, Fonseca became only the second man to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion from two sets down. Jurgen Melzer was the first, at this tournament in 2010. Three hundred and one other attempts had ended in failure.
Djokovic may never get a better opportunity to claim the outright Grand Slam record he jointly holds with Margaret Court. With Carlos Alcaraz absent due to a wrist injury, and Jannik Sinner exiting the tournament on Thursday, the path had seemingly been cleared for the 39-year-old Serb. Sinner and Alcaraz had split the previous nine Slams, with Djokovic losing to one of them in six of those tournaments. Djokovic had only played once since March 12 coming into Roland Garros because of a shoulder injury, and he went through various states of discomfort as the Paris afternoon turned into evening.
“I don't see anything.”
Djokovic's frustration boiled over during a changeover after he had taken a two-set lead. A cameraman approached him at close range while he searched through his bag by the side of the court. "Can you come any more in my face?" Djokovic said, before adding, "For God's sake, make some space." The cameraman retreated and was reportedly later replaced. Djokovic had already appeared nervous earlier in the match, complaining repeatedly to his own corner about the playing conditions, the sun, and sweat getting in his eyes.
The incident reignited a debate about player privacy. Djokovic had previously spoken about the issue during the Australian Open, when behind-the-scenes footage of Coco Gauff smashing her racket was broadcast. Iga Swiatek had wondered whether the players were "animals in a zoo."
“I'm surprised that we have no cameras while we are taking a shower — that's probably the next step. I'm against it. I think there should be a limit and kind of a borderline where, OK, this is our space.”
After his famous victory, Fonseca will play either Casper Ruud or Tommy Paul in the fourth round. Djokovic's next opportunity to break the Grand Slam record may not be far away: Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon, which starts June 29, with his wrist injury, and Sinner said after his five-set defeat to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo that he would need time to recover.
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Brazilian teenager João Fonseca rallied from two sets down to eliminate Novak Djokovic in the French Open third round, ending the Serb's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title on a night also marked by a heated exchange with a cameraman.
AI text based on reports by The New York Times, Fanpage, Le Figaro.fr and other publishers. Published .