Fonseca beats Djokovic at Roland Garros: the match

Joao Fonseca has finally grown up! The Brazilian gets the first Slam final round of 16 in his career in the loudest way possible. He beats Novak Djokovic, no.3 on the scoreboard, 4-6 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-5 in 4 hours and 53 minutes. The longest match of Fonseca’s career, the second career defeat for Nole after being ahead by two sets (he won in 301 cases out of 303, counting today). The first had always arrived on Paris, but in the quarterfinals of 2010, against Jurgen Melzer. Today’s match has a thousand faces.

no shot

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First the Serbian’s rocket start, with Fonseca appearing almost shy, crushed by the tension of competing with his idol. Going forward, Djokovic’s tiredness increased along with the 28th seed’s confidence and awareness. Capable of doing a lot of harm from the baseline, especially with his forehand, and maintaining a very high pace when dribbling. Often intolerable for the 24-time Slam champion. Very slow on serve, and not very effective with the forehand, with one fact that emerged very clearly: he almost never commanded the exchange. Often and willingly submitting to the initiative of Joao, who is also good at riding the wave of the enthusiastic Chatrier public. And, despite being immediately down a break in the fifth, the 2006 class has the courage, also aided by some missteps from Djokovic (who is retching, a mixture of tiredness and heat, probably), to recover it immediately. And thus begin his triumphal march.

the triumph

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The final break comes in the eleventh game, at 5-5, also showing off the short ball weapon with great skill: thus winning three points out of four. Joao closes, also canceling break point at 6-5, placing three aces in a row. And he found, more than a year later, his second career victory against a top 10 player. Above all, he became the first teenager (as well as the first Brazilian ever) to beat Djokovic in a Slam. In the round of 16 Fonseca will face Casper Ruud who beat Tommy Paul in the fifth.