Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic knocked out of French Open 2026 by young players
Consensus Summary
The 2026 French Open saw two of tennis’s biggest stars, Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic, eliminated in the third round by young up-and-coming players, leaving the tournament wide open. De Minaur, the eighth seed, was defeated by 20-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik in a dominant four-set match (0-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3) after Mensik recovered from a grueling four-hour win the previous day that left him hospitalized. Despite de Minaur’s strong start—including a 6-0 first-set bagel—Mensik’s superior power and accuracy overwhelmed him, culminating in de Minaur smashing his racket in frustration. Meanwhile, Djokovic, a three-time French Open champion, lost to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca in a five-set thriller (4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5), marking the first time a teenager had defeated him at a grand slam. The heat and physical toll of the clay courts played a significant role in both matches, with Djokovic visibly struggling in the final sets. These upsets, combined with Jannik Sinner’s earlier exit, have shifted the focus to younger players like Mensik, Fonseca, and Rafael Jodar, who also reached the last 16, signaling a potential shift in the tour’s power structure.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Alex de Minaur lost to Jakub Mensik in the third round of the 2026 French Open with a score of 0-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
- Jakub Mensik had collapsed on court and was ferried to the medical centre in a wheelchair after his four-hour 41-minute epic win over Mariano Navone on Wednesday (May 28, 2026)
- Mensik won the first game of the second set after a lengthy break, then dominated the match with 33 winners to de Minaur’s 21 and 39 unforced errors by de Minaur
- Novak Djokovic lost to Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in the third round of the 2026 French Open with a score of 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5
- Djokovic lost from two sets up for the second time in his career, the other also coming in Paris in 2010
- Joao Fonseca became the first teenager to beat Djokovic at a grand slam tournament
- The match took place on Court Simonne Mathieu (de Minaur) and Court Suzanne Lenglen (Djokovic) under hot, sticky conditions (33 degrees Celsius reported for Djokovic’s match)
- Jannik Sinner had exited the French Open in the second round earlier in the week, opening the door for other contenders
- De Minaur smashed his racket into the clay after Mensik put away a telling volley at 4-2 in the fourth set, earning a code violation
- De Minaur’s loss leaves Daria Kasatkina as the only Australian remaining in the singles draws
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- De Minaur had only one three-set match in his legs all week following his second-round walkover.
- The continuing hot, sticky conditions on Roland Garros’s lovely greenhouse Court Simonne Mathieu looked sure to benefit de Minaur initially.
- De Minaur’s extraordinary opening run included 16-straight points with Mensik coughing up 11 errors and winning just five points in the 19-minute first-set ‘bagelling’.
- Djokovic applied ice packs on both sides of his face during changeovers due to the heat.
- Djokovic mixed trademark defence with stunning winners and delicate drop shots to win the first two sets against Fonseca.
- Djokovic said he was unsure if he would play at the French Open next year, though he had said the same after his semifinal defeat to Sinner last year.
- Joao Fonseca served three consecutive aces in the final game to secure the match against Djokovic.
- Rafael Jodar, another 19-year-old Spaniard, outlasted Alex Michelsen in five sets to reach the last 16.
- De Minaur had lost seven matches out of 11 after making the Australian Open quarter-finals and winning the Rotterdam title earlier in the season.
- De Minaur’s uncharacteristically high 39 unforced errors illustrated the pressure from Mensik’s ball-striking.
- Mensik mentioned he had zero energy coming back from his previous match and the heat, but was mentally stable and happy to leave the court without a wheelchair.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian and ABC describe Mensik’s opening set loss as a ‘horror’ or ‘error-riddled,’ but SMH emphasizes Mensik’s physical exhaustion from his previous match.
- ABC states Djokovic looked exhausted in the fifth set and hunched over the advertising boards, while SMH notes he applied ice packs during changeovers but still fought hard.
- The Guardian and ABC mention de Minaur’s second-round walkover, but SMH clarifies it was a walkover to the last 32 (third round) due to the heatwave.
Source Articles
Alex de Minaur knocked out of French Open after letting lead slip
Australian goes down 0-6 6-2 6-2 6-3 to Jakub Mensik No 8 seed will rue a golden chance to advance in Paris Alex de Minaur was blown out of the French Open just when opportunity had knocked deafeningly for all the would-be contenders. With Jannik Sinner’s sensational exit having made everyone believe their chance could be at hand, de Minaur’s enduring dream was this time dynamited by young Czech powerhouse Jakub Mensik 0-6 6-2 6-2 6-3 in the third round. Continue reading...
De Minaur and Djokovic bundled out of French Open leaving draw wide open
Seeded stars continue to tumble at Roland-Garros as both Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic's campaigns end in the third round.
Djokovic, de Minaur knocked out of Roland-Garros as young stars emerge
Novak Djokovic’s bid for an elusive 25th major title has ended in Paris after youngsters Joao Fonseca and Jakub Mensik each claimed major scalps in the third round.