As Novak Djokovic limped back to his chair four hours into a tennis match that had descended into hell, the 24-time grand slam winner did not have much more to give. His hard-earned two-set lead had unravelled and his 39-year-old body had hit a wall against a shining opponent 20 years his junior. Having reached the umpire’s chair, Djokovic vomited the contents of his stomach into the red dust.

Still, nobody in the long history of this sport has mastered the art of finding victories from miserable positions, and so everybody inside Court Philippe-Chatrier still knew he could conjure a path through. It took the most courageous, headstrong performance from João Fonseca to refuse his legendary opponent any path back, with the 19-year-old Brazilian holding on to produce a career-defining victory in front of a vibrating crowd, closing out his astounding 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 win over Djokovic after an immense four hours and 53 minutes on court.

We will have Tumaini Carayol’s courtside report online very soon, but for now it’s au revoir. Join us again on Saturday, to see what else this tournament can throw at us. Thanks for reading, and goodnight.

Here’s the rest of Friday’s news from Roland Garros and beyond.

Out of the top 16 seeds in the men’s draw, just five remain.

1. Jannik Sinner

2. Alexander Zverev

3. Novak Djokovic

4. Félix Auger-Aliassime

5. Ben Shelton

6. Daniil Medvedev

7. Taylor Fritz

8. Alex De Minaur

9. Alexander Bublik

10. Flavio Cobolli

11. Andrey Rublev

12. Jiri Lehecka

13. Karen Khachanov

14. Luciano Darderi

15. Casper Ruud

16. Valentin Vacherot

Next up for Fonseca: either Casper Ruud or Tommy Paul. The American led by two sets to love, but Ruud has just taken the third set 6-4.

If you want to know more about tennis’ newest star, I would advise you read this interview with Donald McRae.

Let’s hear from João Fonseca. How did he believe he could win at two sets down? “I didn’t, really. It’s my first time stepping on court with [Djokovic], he’s a legend … I’m just really happy.”

“I wasn’t thinking about [the occasion], I was just trying to hit the ball as hard as I could,” Fonseca said, adding that the court slowed down as daylight faded, which helped him. “I felt like John Isner [hitting three aces] – I had no idea I could hit them like this.”

He thanks his mum – it’s her birthday! – and the Brazilian fans for backing him, and off he goes. We might be seeing a lot more of him here in the next nine days.

Incredible. Fonseca lashes down a third ace in succession, and an extraordinary comeback is complete. From two sets down, he has fought back to beat Novak Djokovic – only the second player in history to do so. What a match from both players, and what a moment for the 19-year-old.

Fonseca drills a cross-court winner, but a couple of missed forehands leave things poised at 30-all. He looks to land on the baseline next, but sends it a couple of centimetres long. Break point, seen off with an imperious ace – and another unstoppable serve brings up match point …

Jesper de Jong has beaten Karen Khachanov 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-2. The lucky loser, ranked No 106 in the world, will play either Quentin Halys or Sacha Zverev next; their evening match is supposed to start in 20 minutes.

Final set: Fonseca *6-5 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Djokovic flicks the ball from under his feet and finds the corner – then adjusts to wrong-foot Fonseca with a volley. Two break points saved, but despite Djokovic getting a forehand missile back in play, another perfect drop shot puts Fonseca on the verge of a historic win.

Final set: Fonseca *5-5 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Fonseca has only played two five-set matches in his career, and one of those was earlier this week. Still, he’s showing no sign of cramp or fatigue, chasing down a drop shot with something to spare. A delicate angled volley is returned with interest. It’s starting to feel like Fonseca’s night, and he finds a drop shot of his own to earn three break points …

Final set: Fonseca 5-5* Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Fonseca seemed to have the upper hand, but now faces a bit of pressure as he serves to keep the match alive. He drifts wide on the first point but backs it up with a big forehand and bigger first serve – and then an instinctive lob that just evades Djokovic’s racket. Djokovic takes time to recover his breath, then sends an aggressive return into the net.

Final set: Fonseca *4-5 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) At 40-15 down, Fonseca beams perhaps his hardest forehand winner yet. Djokovic is too tired to even be annoyed – but wins the next rally with a clinical shot down the line.

Final set: Fonseca 4-4* Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Fonseca clatters through another hold, with Djokovic saving his legs. He’s very much the wobbling prize fighter out there, clinging to his belt.

Here’s a stat for you: Djokovic’s record in best-of-five matches after winning the first two sets is 301-1. His only defeat from 2-0 up came against Jürgen Melzer at the 2010 French Open, when João Fonseca was three years old.

Final set: Fonseca *3-4 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) This is just ridiculous. Having dug out a game point, Djokovic has to withstand everything his young opponent can throw at him, before clipping a winner into an empty corner as Fonseca charges the net.

Final set: Fonseca *3-3 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Fonseca wins the first point with an overhead smash, but Djokovic gets back in the game by getting the better of a brief net battle. At 30-all, second serve, Djokovic gets it done – but Fonseca wins a brutal rally to take this game to deuce. The winner count: Djokovic 64-56 Fonseca.

Final set: Fonseca 3-3* Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Fonseca rattles through his service game, holding to love, and Djokovic looks to be struggling with his movement. We’ve said that before, of course.

Mensik gets the job done, completing the comeback after losing the first set 6-0. There are now just three single-digit seeds left in the men’s draw: Alexander Zverev, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Djokovic.

Final set: Fonseca *2-3 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Can João Fonseca get off the canvas again? Well, he leads 15-30, and sets up two break points when a weary Djokovic nets. The first is rescued with an ace, but Fonseca prevails in the next rally, and breaks straight back!

Both before and after that game, Djokovic stopped next to the towel bin, and looked like he was about to throw up again. In between, an absolutely unplayable return game, breaking to love. A reminder – he is almost 20 years older than his opponent across the net.

Final set: Fonseca 1-3* Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) This is the kind of moment that prime Djokovic would pounce on (although prime Djokovic wouldn’t be in a fifth set). Can he do it again? He punishes an underhit volley, steering his forehand home to lead 0-30, and Fonseca’s slice then drifts a fraction long. Three break points … sealed with an outrageous chop/drop shot at the net!

Final set: Fonseca *1-2 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Djokovic responds in kind, holding to 15. It feels like both players are easing off the gas after such an intense fourth set.

Final set: Fonseca 1-1* Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) João Fonseca holds to love, showing no signs of nerves or fatigue.

Jesper de Jong, who I may have called Jasper earlier, couldn’t close out the upset against Khachanov, who dominates the fourth-set breaker to take their match to a decider. Jakub Mensik, meanwhile, leads 4-2 in the fourth and is about to turf Alex De Minaur out of the tournament.

Final set: Fonseca *0-1 Djokovic (*next server; 2-2 in sets) Djokovic was off court for nearly 10 minutes, and can’t remember which side of the net to go to when he comes back. He’s a bit frazzled, but there’s no sign of that once play resumes, a lovely slice just dropping beyond Fonseca. Then, at the changeover, he’s sick at the side of the court.

Casper Ruud or Tommy Paul will face the winner of this match in the last 16, the lucky devils. Paul still leads by one set to love, and we’re on serve at 5-4 to Ruud in the second.

It looks like Djokovic is heading off court, potentially taking a medical timeout. What a battle he’s in here, after winning the first two sets.

Fonseca levels at two sets all! Djokovic goes 15-30 up, but Fonseca wins another full-throttle point, and backs it up with an awkward volley that has enough behind it. Set point – and Djokovic’s return goes long!

Updates! Mensik leads De Minaur 2-1 and has a break in the fourth … Ruud and Paul are on serve in the second set … and De Jong was a break up in the fourth against Khachanov, but we’re now back on serve.

Ole, ole, ole, João … the crowd are getting more and more behind the youngster, to Djokovic’s chagrin. Fonseca edges 15-30 up but his opponent slams the door with a vicious overhead smash. No matter – he digs out another break point and has too much power for Djokovic, ripping a winner into the corner to go 6-5 up. He’ll serve for the fourth set …

Many, many players have folded in this situation, but Fonseca doesn’t – he keeps his first serve on target, and holds when Djokovic shanks a return wide. Five-all in the fourth; Djokovic leads two sets to one.

Fonseca dictates the first two points of serve, moving 30-0 up. Pressure off? Of course not, as Djokovic immediately punishes a couple of lapses on serve. He then goes after Fonseca’s backhand side, and sees a 40th winner whip past him. A canny drop shot gets Djokovic back to deuce, and two points from victory …

Djokovic lands a ridiculous swerving shot down the line, but offers up a hand to Fonseca, suggesting it wasn’t what he intended. He’s hanging on, and holds to lead 5-4 in the fourth.

There was an odd moment after one point in that game, when Djokovic turned to the crowd and appeared to complain about a crying infant. Come on, Novak – don’t have a go at the bébé.

Incredible guts from Fonseca there, teetering on the brink of defeat but still playing aggressively. He continues in that vein here, claiming a break point but then sending a backhand into the tape of the net. The Brazilian fires in another angled winner that leaves Djokovic on his heels, but can only look and laugh at a ferocious ace down the middle.

Pressure on Fonseca at 15-30 down, and Djokovic is finding all the angles now, controlling the next point to earn two break points. Fonseca risks a trip to the net to save the first – then finds a huge second serve! He dominates the next two points, and urges the Brazilian fans in the house to make some noise.

Djokovic holds with little fuss, an attempted lob from Fonseca causing him brief concern before dropping a few inches beyond the baseline.

Elsewhere, Mensik has maintained his momentum against De Minaur, and leads the third set 4-0. In a battle of dark horses, Tommy Paul has claimed the first set 6-4 against Casper Ruud.

Any nerves from Fonseca? Nah, just a sliced cross-court winner to open the game. Djokovic retaliates with a vicious return, but it’s smooth enough sailing for Fonseca from there. Three-all in the fourth set.

Djokovic seems to be rediscovering his groove, powering through another service game with Fonseca sending one errant shot high into the stands. A big game coming up next, as the teenager tries to stay on terms …

Djokovic hustles through a hold, and from 30-love down on Fonseca’s serve, he turns up the pressure and forces a couple of loose points. At break point, Djokovic steps in on second serve and Fonseca can only find the net. We’re back on serve in the fourth set …

On Court 14, De Jong – a “lucky loser” who grabbed a place in the draw when Arthur Fils withdrew – leads Khachanov by two sets to one. The Dutchman won the set 6-2, the same score by which Jakub Mensik has taken the second set against De Minaur on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

Fonseca backs up the break with a clinical backhand down the line, and he’s in charge of the fourth set. Djokovic still leads 2-1, but his opponent is the better player right now.

On Lenglen, Casper Ruud – a two-time finalist here, losing to Rafa Nadal in 2022 and Djokovic in 2023 – is a break down to Tommy Paul in the first set.

Elsewhere, Jesper de Jong has carved out a 5-2 lead in the third set against Karen Khachanov, while Jakub Mensik leads Alex De Minaur 4-2 in the second after getting bageled in the first.

Fonseca won’t go away, though, pounding a forehand winner to earn another break. Djokovic has slowed down his serve – in fact, he gets a warning here, and when the point does get under way, Djokovic goes long. Fonseca breaks!