Jannik Sinner’s pursuit of a first French Open crown and a career Grand Slam ended unexpectedly as the Italian encountered physical issues and lost a dramatic second-round match to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in five sets on a hot Thursday in Paris.
Arriving at Roland Garros after winning clay titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, Sinner had been installed as the tournament favourite. The field’s dynamics were altered before play began after defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was ruled out with injury and Novak Djokovic was cited as searching for his best form. Still, few anticipated the scene that unfolded on Court as Cerundolo produced a tense comeback and ultimately prevailed 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-1 6-1.
Cerundolo, ranked 56th, described the match as difficult to watch given Sinner’s situation. "It’s tough for him. He was winning the match. I couldn’t win more than three games (in any of the first two sets)," he said. "I think I was a little bit lucky, I feel sorry for him ... he was serving to win this match, but then I don’t know what happened. I think he was cramping maybe, or maybe it was the pressure of the match, I don’t know. But of course I feel sorry for him and I hope he recovers. I’m super happy. I’m going to keep trying to play my best... I hope to be ready for the next match."
Temperatures rose past the 30 degrees Celsius mark in the afternoon, and the heat framed a match in which the momentum swung dramatically. The Italian was described as having "breezed through the first set on the back of a solitary break," and Sinner appeared in control early, having captured a second set with a powerful forehand winner that left him two sets clear for the loss of only five games.
As the contest progressed, Sinner took time to cool down with an ice towel during a break and pushed the pace in the third set, reaching a 5-1 lead. However, his condition deteriorated at a key juncture. Serving at 5-4 in the third, Sinner halted play and requested assistance after indicating his distress to an official. "In the third set I felt dizzy and I wanted to vomit but I couldn’t," the Italian was heard telling the official before stepping off the court for a medical timeout.
After a roughly five-minute break, Sinner returned to the match but was immediately broken for 5-5 and dropped the following game as well, surrendering the third set to Cerundolo. With the Argentine sensing an opening, he began to vary his tactics by hitting heavier to shorten points and employing serve-and-volley plays more frequently.
Sinner continued to struggle. In the fourth set he repeatedly clutched his right thigh and ceded the set decisively. The pattern continued into the fifth, where Sinner was broken early and was unable to regain rhythm. Cerundolo capitalised on the opportunity and closed out the match, eliminating the pre-tournament favourite and leaving Novak Djokovic with an unobstructed chance to pursue a standalone 25th major.
The result will reverberate across tournament storylines and opens the draw in ways that will be monitored closely by players, coaches and stakeholders. Cerundolo, whose ranking placed him outside the seeded players, will move on with momentum after managing his nerves and adapting his game as Sinner’s physical condition deteriorated.
Match score: 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-1 6-1.
Conditions: Afternoon temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius; medical timeout in the third set for Sinner.