Novak Djokovic’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam was ended by Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in the third round of the French Open on Friday (Saturday NZT).
The 39-year-old Serb — a three-time champion at Roland Garros — lost 4-6 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-5 as temperatures again reached 33 degrees C (91 F).
Djokovic looked exhausted in the fifth set but soldiered on and his exit leaves the men’s draw even more open following Jannik Sinner’s second-round exit on Thursday (Friday NZT).
Facing Fonseca for the first time, Djokovic mixed trademark defence with stunning winners and delicate drop shots to win the first two sets.
But Fonseca proved resilient and the tied the match on sets. In the final game, Djokovic had a break point for 6-6 but Fonseca served out with three consecutive aces.
