4 days ago
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Brazilian teen sensation Joao Fonseca continued his breakthrough French Open run by seeing disconnected twice runner-up and 15th effect Casper Ruud 7-5 7-6(8) 5-7 6-2 connected Sunday (May 31, 2026) to scope the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the archetypal time.
The 19-year-old fought from 2 sets down to knock retired Novak Djokovic successful the 3rd round and look arsenic a genuine contender successful a topsy-turvy tournament, and his latest triumph highlighted his increasing assurance and composure connected the biggest signifier successful Paris.
"It was tough, Casper plays bully here, I mean he's a precise experienced feline and helium knows how to play present successful this astonishing court," Fonseca said in his on-court interview.
"It was pugnacious successful the opening but I played truly good successful the important moments successful the archetypal and 2nd sets. I was very blessed due to the fact that of that.
"I just effort to beryllium maine connected court, effort to beryllium happy, effort to deed winners, effort to deed bully shots and bring entertainment."
Playing connected Court Philippe Chatrier again, Fonseca sparkled under the lights with immoderate spectacular ball-striking from some flanks and broke successful the 12th crippled to wrapper up the archetypal acceptable and gully immense applause from fans.
After an aboriginal speech of breaks successful the 2nd set, Fonseca and Ruud were locked successful a titanic tussle of powerfulness hitting, until the Norwegian squandered 3 acceptable points and allowed his young hostile to borderline an electrical tiebreak.
Gustavo Kuerten impressed
It near Brazilian three-times Roland Garros champion Gustavo Kuerten beaming arsenic a raucous assemblage roared, but Ruud was not done and snatched the 3rd acceptable to guarantee the entertaining brushwood would trickle into the aboriginal hours of Monday morning.
"He's an idol for our athletics and country, for his charisma and how humble helium is," Fonseca said of Kuerten.
"He was present for my archetypal clip astatine Roland Garros erstwhile I was a junior. It is simply a pleasance to person him here and a pleasance to bushed a pugnacious hostile successful beforehand of him."
Fonseca raised his level again successful the fourth, claiming a treble interruption arsenic the ambiance reached soccer-like intensity, earlier satellite fig 30 closed retired different celebrated triumph and booked a gathering with Czech Jakub Mensik.
