EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPARIS -- For two sets Friday afternoon, it seemed as if Novak Djokovic was well on his way to the familiar confines of the second week at Roland Garros.He had taken a 6-4, 6-4 lead against 19-year-old rising Brazilian superstar Joao Fonseca on Philippe-Chatrier and had done his best to ignore the blistering heat and relentlessly bright sunshine, as well as the lively crowd packed with yellow-and-green jerseys and flags.While other top seeds, such as No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner and No. 5 seed Ben Shelton, had been handed shockingly early exits, it appeared as if the path for Djokovic, 39, to finally win his record-setting 25th major title was getting increasingly clear.But no one seemed to tell that to Fonseca.In the third set, the heralded teenager and No. 27 seed came alive, thrilling the crowd with equal parts powerful ball striking, strong serving and masterful showmanship, and he took a 3-0 lead. He clinched the set behind back-to-back aces, and suddenly Djokovic's victory was in doubt.Djokovic appeared more and more fatigued -- even vomiting on court and suffering an apparent hand cramp. But Fonseca surged. He forced a deciding set and never backed down. Fonseca closed out the match with three consecutive -- and jaw-dropping -- aces, each drawing a louder crowd reaction than the next, until the stadium reached a fever pitch.After four hours and 53 minutes of a match that pitted the old against the new, the proven against the proving and the present with the future, Fonseca had done the unthinkable and defeated Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5. It also created an unbelievable opportunity for himself and the rest of the field. The French, one might say, is truly open this year like never before.With Djokovic's departure, there are now no major champions remaining in the men's draw, for the first time in a round of 16 at a Slam in the Open era. And it will mark the first time the tournament will produce a new major champion since Rafael Nadal in 2005. The coronation of a new superstar in the tennis world is guaranteed.Still trying to figure out what exactly happened Friday? And wondering what on earth it means for an already wildly unpredictable tournament? Let's break it down. How did Fonseca pull off the upset over Djokovic?Entering the match, Djokovic had a staggering 288-1 record at majors after winning the first two sets. He had been taken to a fifth set on just six occasions and the only loss was to Jurgen Melzer at Roland Garros in the quarterfinals in 2010. Djokovic had also never been beaten by a teenager at a Slam.Fonseca, conversely, had played only in two matches that went to a fifth set in his career. And, having come through a decider in his second-round match Wednesday after also dropping the first two sets, he was looking to become the first teenager in nearly 40 years to win multiple matches after being down 0-2.But while other players have spoken about Djokovic's aura and how difficult it can be to play him, Fonseca was not intimidated down the stretch. It was his first time playing him, and it was Fonseca's debut on Philippe-Chatrier and its 15,000-seat capacity, but he was unfazed. With his back against the wall entering the third set, he raised his level -- breaking Djokovic in his first service game -- and continued to fight for every point."I was just trying to hit the ball as fast [as] I could," he said during his on-court interview.Fonseca admitted to reporters that he didn't actually think he could come back entering the third set, but he said that once he took the set, he started to believe. He said he noticed how tired Djokovic appeared, and that also gave him hope. By the decider, Fonseca was also exhausted -- so much so, he couldn't even think -- but said he played simply with "all heart."He had 11 aces in the match, including five in the deciding set. He later joked that he felt like [all-time ATP ace leader] John Isner. "I never did this before," he said.Djokovic told reporters that Fonseca was the "better player in important moments" late in the match."Some amazing exchanges and points," Djokovic said. "Yeah, he just found incredible shots, lines. It was just amazing from his side."Djokovic added that he had his chances to win, specifically with multiple break points while leading 4-3 in the fourth set and later with a chance to take a 4-1 edge on serve in the decider. But he said he couldn't find a way. Instead, he just ran out of gas."When I look back [on] important moments, could I have done something different? You know, you can always say yes, but you just have to say, 'Well done,' and congratulate him," Djokovic said. "Hats off. He just played lights-out tennis. Every time there was a decisive moment, he went for it."What does this mean for Djokovic?After Sinner's shocking loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Thursday, and with the absence of two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz due to a wrist injury, Djokovic became an obvious favorite for the title. As Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated at majors since the start of the 2024 season, it looked like an incredible opportunity for Djokovic to finally claim his record-breaking 25th major title. Though he has since played in two Slam finals, he has not won one since the 2023 US Open and has largely struggled against "The Big Two." It had been increasingly uncertain if he would ever be able to achieve the feat.But, in the news conference after the match, Djokovic refused to answer a question on whether he had let himself consider the possibility after Sinner's exit. "I don't care. I'll stop you right there," he said. "No. Just lost [in the] third round. Let's just talk about something else."Speaking to reporters just moments after leaving the court, and appearing to cry at times, Djokovic also said he was unsure whether he would be playing at Roland Garros next year, simply saying, "I don't know." He has implied that retirement is nearing in recent years, but he has never explicitly said when. He gave an emotional wave, and gestured a heart with his hands, as he left the court Friday.Though there are many unknowns about Djokovic's future, he seemed pleased overall about his level in the match. Having missed much of the spring due to a shoulder injury and having played in just two tournaments since losing in the final at the Australian Open, he said he was disappointed but didn't think there was much else he could have done differently."I think I was playing good tennis, really good level," Djokovic said. "Considering I was injured for three months and trying to come back and then, you know, going pretty much straight into [a] Grand Slam on this surface that is very demanding and, for me, takes more time to get used to, to kind of find my groove. You know, taking everything in consideration and all the circumstances, I think the level was really good."Djokovic did not provide information on his upcoming schedule, but he traditionally doesn't play in any of the lead-in events on grass prior to Wimbledon.So, who is the favorite to win the title now?That is the $3.27 million dollar question. This is undoubtedly the most wide open and unpredictable major tournament on the men's side in the recent past. With three already eliminated, we're seeing the fewest top-five seeds move into the round of 16 at a major since the US Open in 2017.And with Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer having dominated for so long, and then the recent surge of Sinner and Alcaraz, few others have had the chance to break through.But this is where it gets fun.Someone will have the opportunity to do just that next weekend in Paris. No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev, a three-time major finalist, currently has the best odds to win the title, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. He took the court immediately after Fonseca and Djokovic on Friday to face Quentin Halys.But after that? It's almost unbelievable. Rafael Jodar, another much-hyped 19-year-old who turned professional at the start of the season and is in just the second main draw at a major of his career, has the second-shortest odds. He advanced to the fourth round earlier Friday after a five-set thriller of his own against Alex Michelsen. Fonseca -- who has long been billed as the next big thing in the sport -- is at +700. He will next take on Casper Ruud, a two-time Roland Garros runner-up, on Sunday.As Fonseca mentioned, this marks his first-ever fourth round at a major, so he wasn't exactly thinking about that."I'm just thinking about my next match," he said. "The guys [Ruud and third-round opponent Tommy Paul] are still playing and for now, I'm just enjoying the moment."Felix Auger-Aliassime is the highest remaining seed after Zverev at No. 4. He plays American Brandon Nakashima on Saturday. Fellow Americans Frances Tiafoe, a two-time major semifinalist, and Learner Tien, fresh off his first ATP clay title in Geneva, are also both left in the third round.Of course, everyone remaining in the field has a chance -- and all will do whatever they can to seize the unexpected opportunity. Get your popcorn ready.
