"I always talk to my coach and say I want to play Novak" - Joao Fonseca relishing chance to clash against Djokovic at Roland Garros

Joao Fonseca is into the third round of Roland Garros after completing a brilliant comeback against Dino Prizmic, reducing a two-set deficit to win 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2. Up next: Novak Djokovic, a matchup Fonseca is relishing.

In the battle of the young talents, it was Prizmic who seized the initiative early on. A single break in the first and second set backed up with some very good serving pushed him two sets to the good, looking likely to win a second match at the French Open on debut.

However, back came Fonseca, cheered on by the Brazilian fans. He broke for the first time in the match to get on the board before winning six games on the spin to force a deciding leg. The momentum was with Fonseca, and he capitalised on this by sneaking out ahead before securing the win on his opponents serve.

The 19-year-old was complimentary of his opponent but was relieved to get over the line. "The first two sets were tough. He was serving really well and putting a lot of pressure on my service games. I was just trying to deal with it and think game by game in the third set," he told the media.

"Fortunately, I got a break and there was a little bit of hope. I just stayed focused. I didn’t even think about having to win two more sets — I just focused on the present: trying to break, trying to play better and be more solid. I changed my game a little bit as well. I started taking second-serve returns from inside the court to put more pressure on him, and I became more aggressive. At the beginning, I was trying to be more solid.

"I think he played really well in the first two sets. It was tough for me — I wasn’t playing well and he was just destroying me. I’m very happy with the way I stayed positive, the way I kept a good mentality, and the way my physical level held up after being two sets down."

There are a huge array of young talents playing their trade on the ATP Tour. Fonseca has been one of the main talking points in this category. Martín Landaluce, Jakub Mensik and Learner Tien are others who have huge potentials as Fonseca spoke on them.

"I think me, Mensik and Prizmic all have powerful shots. Then there’s Learner Tien, Jodar and Landaluce — there are a lot of next-generation players coming through who are playing really well," he described. "Each one has their own strengths. For example, Jodar is super solid. Learner Tien just doesn’t miss a ball and keeps going. I like to be more aggressive. Prizmic brings a lot of intensity. Mensik has a huge serve and huge groundstrokes.

"But I think the biggest difference with this younger generation is the maturity. I think they handle pressure pretty well and they understand very quickly how to play important points and how to deal with pressure. Sometimes it’s not only about technique, powerful shots or consistency — it’s also about maturity."

Prizmic has thrown his name into this group as well in recent times. The 20-year-old Croatian has reached the third round in Madrid before defeating Djokovic enroute to the fourth round in Rome. These brilliant displays has got him a lot of attention and his performances on court are making him a threat.

Fonseca was bracing a tough challenge on court, and was not wrong when he was dragged into a five-set thriller. "When I stepped on court against Dino, I knew it was going to be a really tough battle. I know his potential. He’s beaten Novak before, he can be very solid, he has every groundstroke, and he plays well on this surface.

"When I play those younger guys, I try to approach it like any other match. Of course, sometimes pressure and thoughts come into your mind, but I just think that I’m probably going to be playing against these guys for the next 10 or 15 years. There’s always a first time for everything. I just need to focus on what I need to do — not on what they’re doing, what they’re capable of, or how old they are. That’s what I try to do, and that’s what I did today."

For the first ever time, Fonseca and Djokovic will clash on court in a hugely intriguing tie. Fonseca has already tested the world number one and two Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in 2026 with the 24-time Grand Slam champion the next one in line to test the credentials of Fonseca.

It is not a daunting task at all for Fonseca who is set to embrace it. "For me it’s just a huge pleasure. I always talk to my coach and say I want to play Novak because I know it’s not going to last forever, and I want to have this experience in my life," he stated.

"I’m just going to enjoy it. We’re at Roland-Garros, third round — for me it’s a dream. I’m going to enjoy every moment, playing against an idol, one of the gods of this sport. Of course, when I step on court I respect him, but I’ll still try my best to win the match."

Four years ago, Djokovic admitted that Sinner reminded him a bit of himself at that age. Fonseca was tasked to compare the two. "They are two machines," he said. "I still think Djokovic stands apart because of the mentality he developed, especially after Federer and Nadal. I think that’s the main difference. Both of them play unbelievable tennis. I can’t really say anything else — they just keep winning everything. What Djokovic has done for the sport, and what Sinner is doing right now, is unbelievable."

He stated the main factor in comparing that. "But I still think the key thing is mentality. I can’t say whether Sinner will become as great as Novak, Nadal or Federer, but I think he’s going to be one of those guys. Maybe he’ll reach that level — I don’t know — but with his consistency, the way he’s playing and the way he handles pressure, it’s really unbelievable. Having Novak in this sport is just a pleasure. He inspired me, he inspired the next generation, and the generation before us too."