The French Open 2026 has taken a dramatic turn as tennis giants continue to fall, with Novak Djokovic becoming the latest major casualty after losing a gripping five-set thriller to Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in the third round.
In a match that stretched nearly five hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Djokovic failed to convert a two-set advantage, eventually going down 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.
The result marked a historic moment for Fonseca, who became the first teenager ever to defeat Djokovic in a Grand Slam match and booked his place in the last 16 of a major for the first time in his young career.
Djokovic’s exit followed another shock earlier in the tournament when world number one Jannik Sinner suffered a second-round defeat, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz had already withdrawn before the competition due to injury.
With these early exits, the men’s draw has completely opened up—are we set to witness a first-time French Open champion this year?
Meanwhile, Germany’s Alexander Zverev kept his title hopes alive with a four-set win over France’s Quentin Halys, while Casper Ruud also advanced after a hard-fought five-set victory against Tommy Paul.
Among the remaining contenders, only Zverev and Ruud have previously reached a Grand Slam final, further highlighting how unpredictable the draw has become.
In other notable results, Czech teenager Jakub Mensik stunned eighth seed Alex de Minaur, while Andrey Rublev continued his strong run with a straight-sets win.
On the women’s side, China’s Wang Xiyu delivered one of the standout performances of the tournament by defeating Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 7-5 to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time. Importantly, she has yet to drop a set in Paris and continues her career-best run.
Wang will next face Sorana Cirstea, who produced a rare double bagel win, while defending champion Iga Świątek moved comfortably into the next round with a straight-sets victory over compatriot Magda Linette.
With upsets piling up and top seeds falling, the big question remains: who will rise to seize control of this wide-open French Open?
