Sports
Joao Fonseca rallies to shock Novak Djokovic at French Open
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – May 29, 2026 Brazil’s Joao Fonseca celebrates winning his third round match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane Chaos continued to reign at the French Open on Friday, with No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia squandering a two-set lead and exiting with a 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 loss to Brazil’s Joao Fonseca in a third-round match in Paris.
Fonseca was staring down a loss when trailing 15-40 on his serve down 4-3 in the fourth set. However, he used two of his 11 break-point saves in 16 opportunities to rally, winning the final three games to force a fifth set.
Djokovic then took a 3-1 lead in the final set before he was immediately broken back. Fonseca came away with the decisive break at 5-5 and served out the match with a deuce game to complete the comeback in a match that came seven minutes short of five hours.
With the victory, Fonseca is through to the fourth round of a major for the first time off his second career top-10 win.
“I actually didn’t (believe I could win),” Fonseca in his on-court interview. I just played, I just enjoyed being on court. What a pleasure it was and what an idol we have. It’s a pleasure just stepping on the court against him. It’s my first time stepping on court against him, so just thanking him and I’m just very happy.”
It’s just the second time that Djokovic, who has won three of his record 24 Grand Slams at the French Open, has blown a two-set lead, previously doing so at the 2010 French Open against Jurgen Melzer.
With his exit, three of the top five seeds have been eliminated before the Round of 16. There will also now be a guaranteed first-time Grand Slam champion at Roland Garros, with each of the three competitors who have won a major (Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Stan Wawrinka) eliminated.
Djokovic was not the only top-10 seed knocked out on Friday. No. 8 Alex de Minaur of Australia saw his fast start quickly fade in a 0-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 loss to 26th-seeded Czech Jakub Mensik.
After Mensik had no winners and 11 unforced errors in the first set, he converted 7 of 14 break-point chances over the final three sets. De Minaur, on the other hand, had 15 winners to 36 unforced errors after his dominant first set.
Additionally, No. 13 seed Russian Karen Khachanov took a marathon 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-2 loss to Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong, who had 61 winners and 41 unforced errors to secure his first-ever win over a top-15 opponent.
Another Russian, 11th-seeded Andrey Rublev, did not have the same trouble on Friday, sweeping Portugal’s Nuno Borges 7-5, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) to coast into the fourth round.
Fonseca wasn’t the only 19-year-old to reach the fourth round during the day’s action. Spanish teen Rafael Jodar, the No. 27 seed, outlasted American Alex Michelsen 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach his first fourth round at a major.
“I’m super happy to be in the fourth round here at Roland Garros, it’s a dream come true,” Jodar said after his four-plus hour victory. “I had to fight a lot today. It was a really tough match. Alex played great the whole match, so I want to congratulate him and wish him the best for the rest of the season.”
Pablo Carrena Busta of Spain also reached the Round of 16 with a 7-6 (0), 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 triumph over Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante.
Two matches are ongoing: No. 15 Casper Ruud of Norway is playing No. 24 Tommy Paul for the right to face Fonseca for a spot in the quarterfinals. Ruud lost in the French Open title match in both 2022 and 2023.
Also, No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany is meeting Quentin Halys of France. Zverev lost in the 2024 final at Roland Garros.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reds move RHP Graham Ashcraft (elbow) to 60-day IL
May 9, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Graham Ashcraft (23) reacts after a play in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images The Cincinnati Reds placed reliever Graham Ashcraft on the 60-day injured list on Friday with a UCL sprain in his right forearm.
Ashcraft, 28, last pitched on Monday, striking out two batters and allowing no hits or runs in the ninth inning in a 7-2 road win against the New York Mets.
Moving directly to the 60-day IL is a worrying sign for Ashcraft’s long-term prognosis, potentially indicating the need for surgery.
The right-hander is 1-1 with one save and a 3.33 ERA in 26 appearances out of the Cincinnati bullpen this season. Ashcraft is 26-26 with a 4.67 ERA in 148 games (60 starts) since making his debut with the Reds in 2022.
The Reds selected the contract of right-hander Yunior Marte from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. He is 2-0 with five saves and a 5.12 ERA in 20 games (no starts) this season at Louisville.
Marte, 31, last pitched in the majors in 2024 with Philadelphia. He is 2-2 with two saves and a 5.64 ERA in 102 career games (no starts) with the San Francisco Giants (2022) and Phillies (2023-24).
–Field Level Media
Sports
French Open to impose 'significant sanction' on player for sexist remark
Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo reacts during his second round match against France’s Moise Kouame at the 2026 French Open.
French Open organizers on Friday said a “significant sanction” will be imposed on Adolfo Daniel Vallejo after the player said his second-round match should not have been umpired by a woman.
The sanction will be a fine, with the amount not announced.
Buoyed by the home crowd, French teenage prodigy Moise Kouame staved off a late rally to record a 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) victory over Vallejo on Thursday. Vallejo led 5-2 in the deciding set before the 17-year-old Kouame battled back to end the match in just less than five hours.
Vallejo, a 22-year-old from Paraguay, took issue with the time Kouame was allowed to take between points and argued that umpire Ana Carvalho did not control the crowd, which loudly cheered for the teen.
“This sort of match needs to be umpired by a man. It’s very difficult for a woman to do it,” Vallejo told Clay magazine. “It has to be refereed by a man, because it’s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd.”
The French Tennis Federation and Roland Garros organizers deemed Vallejo’s comments as “unacceptable.”
“The competence of an umpire is not determined by their gender, but by their professionalism and ability to officiate at the highest level,” the organizers said. “The outcome of a sporting event, whether positive or negative, can never justify or excuse such remarks. The tournament organizers will impose a significant sanction on Adolfo Vallejo in the form of a fine.
“The Roland-Garros tournament strongly condemns all sexist remarks, regardless of who makes them, and offers its support to the match umpire and, more broadly, to all the tournament’s umpiring officials.”
Vallejo, who is ranked 71st in the world, posted in Spanish on X that his words had been misconstrued.
“I never spoke about women in general, I spoke about the referee specifically, who didn’t handle the crowd at any point during the match,” Vallejo wrote. “That said, I also didn’t say that I lost because of her. I congratulated the opponent and it’s normal for the crowd to cheer for the home player.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Portugal coach: 'No one should doubt' Ronaldo could play 2030 World Cup
Nov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (7) reacts during the second half of the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images With Cristiano Ronaldo set to be 45 years old when Portugal hosts the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Morocco, one might think it’s unlikely that he’ll be on the squad for what would be his seventh World Cup.
But don’t tell that to Portugal’s manager Roberto Martinez.
“No one should doubt that (he could play in 2030),” Martinez said Thursday in an appearance on Cadena Ser radio. “He’s earned it.”
Ronaldo, who debuted for Portugal at 18 in August of 2003, is comfortably the country’s leader in all-time appearances (226, 80 more than Joao Moutinho) and goals (143, 96 more than Pauleta).
He led Portugal to the 2016 European Championship and to a fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup, the country’s best finish at a World Cup since a third-place showing in 1966.
A penalty-kick goal against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar made him the first player to score at five different World Cups.
Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi are set to simultaneously become the first players in history to appear in six World Cups at this summer’s event.
“I have worked with many players that have won a Champions League or a Ballon d’Or, and the next day they lose their appetite. What we have with Ronaldo is an example of a different mentality,” Martinez said.
“I believe that having that goal is what allows for longevity. Of course, there is a genetic aspect, the work he puts in – he uses everything that can help his body – and his mentality.”
Portugal, in Group K for the first-ever 48-team World Cup, opens play June 17 against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston.
–Field Level Media
Reds move RHP Graham Ashcraft (elbow) to 60-day IL
French Open to impose 'significant sanction' on player for sexist remark
