Jannik Sinner has crashed out of Roland Garros in dramatic circumstances after losing a five-set thriller against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo.
The world No. 1 was in complete control after taking a 2-0 lead in the second-round match, but the heatwave sweeping the French Open seemed to take its toll as Sinner started to struggle with cramping.
Cerúndolo took advantage and bounced back to win the last three sets taking the win 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
It seemed like it was going to be another straightforward win for the four-time grand slam champion in his quest to win Roland Garros for the first time.
Sinner breezed through the first two sets and was at his swashbuckling best.
Cerúndolo was helpless as Sinner unleashed a barrage of powerful shots, forcing his opponent back before toying with the Argentinian in the Parisian heat – making him work for every single point.
Sinner then held a 5-1 lead in the third where he was serving for the win.
This, however, was when it all switched up for the Italian star.
While down 0-40 in the game, Sinner had a lengthy discussion with the umpire before he exited the court to receive medical treatment.
And he was not the same when he returned to action.
“I struggled and started to feel very dizzy, very low on energy. I tried to serve it out but didn’t have a lot of energy,” Sinner told the media afterwards.
“The middle of the third set (is when I started having problems), even though I was playing some great tennis, but I really couldn’t find any energy today.
“It was a tough spot to be in. But, again, this is the sport. It was warm but not crazy warm. I feel like it was quite OK to play. Really, it was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me today, but it happens.”
Cerúndolo won the final six games in the third set to keep the match alive before taking the final two sets to complete the shock win.
“In the fourth set, I let it go a little bit trying to have a bit more energy in the fifth. The first one was a very important game and I couldn’t hold. Then it went a bit downwards,” Sinner said.
“I woke up this morning, didn’t feel very well and tried to keep the points very short. Also in the beginning I was hitting very clean, very good, and then I just kind of hit the wall, and that’s it.”
Sinner had looked unbeatable coming into the French Open.
The 24-year-old was on an incredible 30-match winning streak – having won three clay court Masters tournaments in a row in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome – and, with no Carlos Alcaraz in action, another grand slam victory seemed like a formality.
But nothing is ever straightforward in sports.
Sinner is now the first man to lose more than one match at slams as a top seed after holding a 2-0 lead in the Open Era, according to ESPN Insights.
Cerúndolo admitted postgame that he may have been a little fortunate to advance to the next round.
“Of course, it’s tough for him, he was leading the match, I couldn’t win more than three games by set, so I think I was a little bit lucky,” Cerúndolo said on-court after his shock win. “I feel sorry for him because he deserved to win a lot of matches and, of course, he was serving to win this match.
“But then I don’t know what happened, I think he was cramping maybe or maybe the pressure, I don’t know, but of course, I feel sorry for him and hope he recovers.”
Cerúndolo will now be waiting to see who’s his next opponent with Martín Landaluce and Vít Kopřiva in action now.
“I’m super happy, I tried to play my best, I’m going to keep trying to play my best,” the Argentinian added. “Of course, it’s a tournament I really like to play because the clay is my best surface, so I hope to be ready for the next match.”
The tournament has now been blown wide open and with no Alcaraz or Sinner, a surprise winner could come to the fore – or Novak Djokovic might finally have an opening to win his 25th grand slam singles title.
It will be the first time since the US Open in 2023 that a men’s grand slam won’t be won by either Alcaraz or Sinner.
This story has been updated with additional information.
