Joao Fonseca: Why Novak Djokovic’s French Open win shows 19-year-old’s arrival

Fonseca has been touted as the next big thing as he follows in the footsteps of Siner and Alcaraz to win the 2024 ATP Next Grand Finals – the end-of-season showcase for players under the age of 21 – and gained attention a month later with his win at the Melbourne Ruble.

He won his first ATP title on the clay courts of Buenos Aires before reaching the third round at the French Open in February 2025, losing to Britain’s Jack Draper. And wherever he goes, Brazilian flags follow the carnival.

Twelve months after making his bow at No. 65 in Paris, he returned as the 28th seed, but there have been flashes of hope during that time – a third round at Wimbledon, a second career Swiss indoor title last October, and a quarter-final appearance at the Monte-Carlo Masters – with a sense that he has not lived up to his talent.

It doesn’t exist anymore. In the sixth round of questioning, Fonseca passed the second week of the main.

Beating Djokovic at a Grand Slam went further than any teenager has ever gone, and just sixth at any ATP Tour-level event.

Djokovic is the first player since Philipp Kohlschreiber to win the French Open before the quarterfinals in 2009, and the first player since the 2024 US Open at any Slam.

Annabel Croft said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Joao Fonseca has certainly announced himself. “He can proudly say that he agrees with the popular rumours.

“Two years ago all the Brazilians and South Americans rushed to the court to see him play, now we know why.”

“It took him a while to find his footing, and he was going to play such an important role if the crowd got him going, and it ended with fireworks,” former French Open semifinalist Joe Konta added on TNT Sports.

It was exactly what Joao needed to bring that level of tennis.

“He just played one of the biggest matches we’ve seen in a while.”