Madras Times - Fonseca blasts Djokovic out of French Open after epic comeback

The 19-year-old Fonseca rallied from two sets down for the second straight match to stun Djokovic with a phenomenal display of power-hitting.

Fonseca triumphed 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 after four hours and 53 minutes to make it through to the last 16 of a major for the first time.

Asked how he kept believing after falling behind, Fonseca replied: "I actually didn't.

"I just kept playing. I just enjoyed being on court. What a pleasure it was stepping on court with him (Djokovic) for the first time.

"I was trying to hit the ball as fast as I could. Djokovic, he does not miss."

Fonseca will next play two-time Roland Garros runner-up Casper Ruud or American 24th seed Tommy Paul.

Djokovic's exit comes a day after the shock elimination of world number one and red-hot title favourite Jannik Sinner.

It means there will be a first-time men's Grand Slam champion this year at the French Open, ending a run of nine successive majors won by Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz.

"What an incredible match to be part of," said Djokovic.

"Huge credit to Joao for really deserving to win the match. Without a doubt he was the better player in crucial moments."

Djokovic has been stuck on 24 majors since the 2023 US Open and may not get a better chance to add to that haul. Two-time defending champion Alcaraz was already absent in Paris due to injury.

"You just have to say well done and congratulate him. He played lights-out tennis," Djokovic said of Fonseca.

"I don't think I've done much wrong with my game. He was just better."

Alexander Zverev, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, is best placed to capitalise on the wide open draw. The second seed plays Frenchman Quentin Halys in the night session.

- Swiatek and Andreeva move on -

Iga Swiatek booked her place in the last 16 of the women's draw with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Magda Linette in an all-Polish affair.

Four-time women's champion Swiatek dug herself out of an early 2-0 hole against the 35th-ranked Linette, who won their most recent meeting at Miami in March.

Swiatek broke three times in the opening set to nose ahead, and then surged into a 4-1 lead in the second set.

She overcame a stumble as she tried to close it out, before sealing victory to set up an intriguing match-up with the in-form Marta Kostyuk.

"It was a good match. I played much better than Miami," said Swiatek, who moved to appoint Francisco Roig, a longtime coach of Rafael Nadal, in the wake of her loss to Linette two months ago.

Kostyuk, the 15th seed, continued her fine run with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic.

She is unbeaten in 15 matches on clay this season following titles in Madrid and Rouen.

"Marta is having a great season. She always had a game to play well," said Swiatek.

"So good for her. But I'm going to focus on myself, prepare tactically, as before any other match, and we'll see."

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva swept into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Czech 27th seed Marie Bouzkova.

The eighth-seeded Andreeva goes on to face Swiss world number 170 Jil Teichmann, who knocked out former French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova.

Elina Svitolina extended her winning run to nine matches, easing into the second week with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Tamara Korpatsch.

Svitolina, who ended an eight-year wait for another WTA 1000 title in Rome, meets Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic or American Peyton Stearns for a place in the quarter-finals.

Romanian 18th seed Sorana Cirstea demolished Argentina's Solara Sierra 6-0, 6-0.

T.Reddy--MT