Long before Joao Fonseca did anything close to what he succeeded on Friday, the tennis world predicted that he would eventually turn the duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner into a trio.
The Rio de Janeiro teenager’s reputation was so strong that he filled stadiums in South America and caused mayhem at the Miami Open, before delivering results worthy of the hype. His out-of-this-world power, but questionable movement and somewhat craggy physique made him a little less popular last year, when the success everyone expected didn’t materialize right away.
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Do your best to jump on that bandwagon now.
Heading into the French Open, Fonseca, who is just 10-9 on the ATP Tour this season, has finally achieved something big. After losing two sets to the all-time great Djokovic, who reached his first quarter-finals at Roland Garros just months before Fonseca was born, the 19-year-old Brazilian finally combined talent and promise to claim his first career victory.
After four hours and 53 minutes of frenetic, next-level tennis, Fonseca hit three consecutive aces to win 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, then turned in disbelief and walked to the edge of the net, where a smiling Djokovic offered him a hug, tacit recognition that this was a match people would be talking about for a long time to come.
It was one of tennis’ occasional generational moments when a player destined for greatness finally rises to his destiny, much like 19-year-old Roger Federer’s much-hyped 7-5 victory over a declining Pete Sampras in five innings at Wimbledon 25 years ago.
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And like Federer, who took two years to win his first Grand Slam, Fonseca is far from a finished product. This year, he may end up winning the trophy at Roland Garros. After all, someone will win their first Grand Slam title next Sunday after Djokovic was removed from the draw after melting in the Paris heat.
Probably not Fonseca. It’s not just his inexperience at Grand Slams – this is the first time he’s reached the round of 16 – but he’s now on a five-set streak. He’s never been forced to push himself this hard, so who knows how much he has left in his legs.
But in a way, that’s not the point.
For the past two years, men’s tennis has been hoping for another young player to step up and prove he can be a threat to Sinner and Alcaraz, much like Djokovic broke into the rivalry between Federer and Rafael Nadal in the early 2010s.
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It may take him a little longer than Alcaraz, who was ready to roll at 19, but Fonseca proved Friday that he is that guy.
Despite his age, his suspicions were valid. All the elements of an elite level were readily apparent in his game – a booming forehand, the ability to change the pace and trajectory of his shots, a natural urge to play aggressive tennis – but he just wasn’t winning enough. He is not the kid who was already being touted as a superstar two or three years ago.
Players of that talent level either never get there, or there’s a moment when it all starts to come together.
After what we saw on Friday, you should bet big on the latter.
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Yes, at 39 years old Djokovic is past his prime and cannot thrive in a hot environment. But this match wasn’t about an older man struggling with the athleticism of a younger, fitter opponent.
On the contrary, it was probably the best match Djokovic has played this year, even better than when he eliminated Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals.
he was great. That’s probably enough to beat anyone else on the field Friday. Fonseca played an otherworldly game, ripping forehands, tracking down drop shots and serving in clutch moments in the final two sets when Djokovic had a chance to close the door.
There’s a reason Djokovic had won the first two sets by Friday and had a record of 289-1 in slam tournaments. This is all about Fonseca, and Djokovic often laughed in disbelief at some of the lines Fonseca was hitting and some of the magic he was producing. He probably considers himself a missed opportunity given how open this French Open has become, but there was nothing to be disappointed about in the way the match played out.
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By now, Djokovic is used to passing the torch. It’s a price to pay to hang around this long and stay this good.
But for someone who values the history of the sport and his place in it as highly as Djokovic does, the opportunity for a 19-year-old to beat the 39-year-old GOAT in such a match is just as special as holding the trophy.
Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slams. Far fewer matches stand the test of time and survive beyond our fading memories.
If Friday was the day Fonseca emerged as the player many expected them to be, they will forever be united on the red dirt of Roland Garros. Like Federer and Sampras 25 years ago, the legend of what we’ve seen will only grow stronger, and this moment in tennis history will be commemorated as the day a truly new star was born.
