Why Joao Fonseca's 'huge' win over Novak Djokovic at French Open was reminiscent of Roger Federer beating Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001

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Tim Henman said Joao Fonseca’s stunning five-set win over Novak Djokovic at the French Open brought back memories of Roger Federer’s breakthrough victory over Pete Sampras at Wimbledon.

Highlights: Fonseca fights back to shock Djokovic in five-set thriller

Video credit: TNT Sports

Fonseca, 19, pulled off a seismic shock as he came from two sets down to beat 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in Paris.
It is only the second time in Djokovic’s Grand Slam career that he has lost after winning the first two sets.
TNT Sports expert Henman said it reminded him of Federer beating Sampras in the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2001.
Federer was an up-and-coming 19-year-old at the time and got the better of Sampras in five sets to deny him a shot at a fifth straight title at SW19.
”The first time Federer played on Centre Court was against Sampras, and the first time Fonseca’s been out on Chartier, it’s against Djokovic,” said Henman.
”It reminded me of it a little bit… he's got to savour this moment.”
Fonseca has been hotly tipped as a future star and last year was called the ”next Djokovic” after winning his second ATP Tour title.
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Roger Federer shocked Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001

Image credit: Getty Images

He said he wasn’t a fan of the comparisons at the time, but Henman said this was a ”big breakthrough” for the Brazilian.
”He’s taken it to a whole different level. It’s the result of his life. We have been waiting for him to make a big breakthrough at the Grand Slams, and this is it.
”He doesn’t have a massive amount of experience at Grand Slams and to be two sets down and maintain the belief and keep fighting, and then slowly turn it around, and in the biggest moments in the fifth set… unbelievable performance.”
So big was the hype around Fonseca early in his young career, that there was some disappointment that he didn’t make his Grand Slam breakthrough last year.
Even this season, expectations had cooled as Fonseca had a 10-9 win-loss record before the French Open.
But TNT Sports expert Mats Wilander thinks Fonseca has shown he is the ”real deal”.
”The fact that he can play like this for five sets is unbelievable," Wilander said. "He physically is very strong and his mind is very strong.
"He's very smart, he's very strong. He loves to compete, and he loves to bring the crowd; he understands the crowd's support, and he understands how important it is for him. And not just for him, for our sport. It's massively important to have a South American back at the top.
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'Something supernatural!' - Fonseca stuns Djokovic in five-set thriller

Video credit: TNT Sports

”This is a huge, huge moment, obviously easily the biggest moment, but it's much bigger than just winning a tennis match when you beat Novak Djokovic, Philippe Chatrier, people are still talking about him, possibly winning his 25th Grand Slam, and then you go out there and you're down two sets to love again... I mean, that's two matches in a row that he's done that.
”So this is the real deal, and he is the real deal for me. The question is: how does he react? How does he react after this big bombshell?”
Fonseca faces two-time runner-up Casper Ruud in the fourth round.
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