At the 2026 French Open, Joao Fonseca defeated Novak Djokovic in the third round, ending the Serbian legend’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title. Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca stunned Novak Djokovic at the 2026 French Open on Friday. The 19-year-old fought back from two sets down to defeat the 24-time Grand Slam champion 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in scorching Paris conditions.Novak Djokovic of Serbia, left, and Joao Fonseca of Brazil hug after their third round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)Also Read: Why Djokovic struggled vs Joao Fonseca at French Open. Experts give latest injury updateHere are 10 things to know about Joao Fonseca:Joao Fonseca was born on August 21, 2006, in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.The Brazilian star stands 6’2” (1.88m) tall and weighs around 81 kg (179 lbs). He plays right-handed and uses a two-handed backhand.Joao Fonseca began playing tennis at just four years old at the Rio de Janeiro Country Club, located close to his home. His parents, Christiano and Roberta, backed his tennis journey despite having no professional sports background.In 2023, he became the first Brazilian to finish the year as the world’s No. 1 junior player and capped it off by winning the boys’ singles title at the US Open.Fonseca turned professional in 2024 and quickly grabbed attention by reaching the Rio Open quarterfinals as a 17-year-old wildcard. He was one of the youngest players ever to achieve the feat at an ATP 500 event.He won the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals with a perfect 5-0 record in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, becoming the first South American champion in the tournament's history.Fonseca has already claimed two ATP singles titles — the 2025 Argentina Open on clay and the 2025 Swiss Indoors Basel ATP 500 on hard courts. He also lifted the doubles title at the 2026 Rio Open.He climbed to a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 24 in November 2025 and is currently ranked around No. 30 as Brazil’s top-ranked men’s player.At the 2026 French Open, Fonseca produced the biggest win of his young career by coming back from two sets down to defeat Djokovic in the third round, ending the Serbian legend’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title.Off the court, Fonseca is dating Manu Noronha. The couple reportedly met while studying together at the prestigious Escola Americana in Rio de Janeiro.Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan leads the US Desk at Hindustan Times, where she writes, strategises coverage, and ensures quality across all beats. With eight years of experience covering US news for leading publications, she has reported extensively on politics, entertainment, and sports. Vaishnavi holds a graduate degree in English, Journalism, and Psychology, and completed her PG Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the Manorama School of Communication, where she was awarded the prestigious Mammen Mappillai Award for Best Outgoing Student. She began her career at the International Business Times (US Edition), covering US breaking news, politics, and entertainment. She later joined Opoyi, reporting across all beats, including US sports and trending stories. Prior to Hindustan Times, she served as World Lead at Times Now News, covering comprehensive world news and events. Vaishnavi has expertise in politics, entertainment, and breaking news, and enjoys tackling stories across a wide range of topics. Beyond the newsroom, she is an avid traveller, a foodie who loves exploring new restaurants, and a pop culture enthusiast who enjoys watching latest shows and films. She also enjoys engaging in debates and discussions on Reddit.Read MoreSee Less