Djokovic unsure if he will return to French Open after third-round defeat

PARIS: Novak Djokovic said he was uncertain whether he would play at the French Open again after his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title ended in the third round with a defeat to Joao Fonseca.

The 39-year-old Serbian lost to the Brazilian teenager in five sets, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, after a match lasting nearly five hours on Friday. It was Djokovic's earliest exit at Roland Garros since 2009. As he left Court Philippe Chatrier, he made a heart gesture toward the crowd.

When asked if he would return to the tournament next year, Djokovic replied twice:

I don't know.

Djokovic has remained on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning the 2023 US Open. The three-time Roland Garros champion had again been seen as a leading contender after world number one Jannik Sinner's surprise exit from the tournament. Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was also absent in Paris because of injury.

Djokovic, however, did not want to discuss the missed opportunity after the loss. He said, "I don't care. I don't care. I'll stop you right there. No. Just lost third round. Let's just talk about something else."

Fonseca's victory means the men's draw will produce a first-time Grand Slam champion at this year's French Open, ending a sequence of nine straight major titles won by Sinner or Alcaraz.

Djokovic praised Fonseca's performance and said the Brazilian had shown why he is regarded so highly despite inconsistency this season. He said, "I congratulated him and told him that he deserved to win and played an unbelievable match, and he should be proud of himself."

He added, "The kind of level of tennis we've seen him play created a lot of hype around him, and I think we've all seen today why there is hype around him. The level was amazing."

Djokovic had reached at least the semi-finals in each of the previous five Grand Slam tournaments, but struggled to contain Fonseca's power in the decisive stages. Reflecting on his own display, he said, "I don't think I've done too much wrong with my game. It's just that he was just better."

He added, "I think I was playing good tennis, really good level."

Djokovic came into Roland Garros with limited time on clay this season. He had played only one match on the surface in Rome after returning from a shoulder injury that had kept him out since March. Even so, he said he was satisfied with his standard given the circumstances.

Djokovic also said the support from spectators helped him through the closing stages of the match. He said, "A couple times where I felt like I was barely standing on my legs towards the end of the match, and looking at the crowd and seeing them lift my spirits and support me was something really magical, honestly."

Looking beyond the immediate disappointment, Djokovic said there were still positives to take from the experience. He said, "When I take out all the disappointment and negative thoughts about the match, there's a lot to be proud about, what I've been through, what I experienced. I'm very grateful for this kind of experience."