PARIS (AP) Jannik Sinner arrived at Roland Garros as the top-ranked player and a significant favorite to win the French Open. He had been in exceptional form, winning five consecutive Masters 1000 titles, including three on clay, and recording 30 straight match victories. However, with his foremost rival Carlos Alcaraz sidelined due to a wrist injury, expectations were high for Sinner to claim his first Grand Slam title.
On Thursday, Sinner faced a shocking defeat in the second round of the tournament, succumbing to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo with a score of 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1. The match turned dramatically when Sinner was just one game away from victory, leading 5-1 in the third set, before experiencing a troubling physical meltdown amid the Paris heat wave.
Sinner reported feeling dizzy and low on energy during the match, admitting, “I didn’t feel very well on court.” He had started strong but suddenly felt as if he "hit the wall," leading to a significant drop in performance. Throughout the match, Sinner was visibly affected, frequently bending over in exhaustion, struggling to chase down shots, and relying on drop shots and serve-and-volley tactics to reduce the length of rallies.
The conditions during the match were warm, with temperatures starting at 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit) and climbing to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). While Sinner acknowledged the warmth, he insisted that heat was not the main issue: “It was just me today, but it happens.” Cerundolo, the eventual winner, expressed sympathy for Sinner, acknowledging that the Italian was the rightful favorite in the match but noted that "something went wrong" for Sinner.
As Sinner attempted to serve for the match at 5-4 in the third set, he fell behind and asked for medical assistance. After losing the set 7-5, he left the court for treatment, although he could not recover sufficiently upon his return. Sinner ended up losing 18 of the final 20 games, which marked a stark contrast to his recent dominant performances. He mentioned considering retirement but felt that anything could happen in the fifth set and opted to continue playing.
Interestingly, this loss came after a series of impressive wins, as he had not lost a match since February 19 at the Qatar Open. Sinner's current predicament raised questions about his health and conditioning, given his history of struggling in hot conditions. He recalled previous matches where heat had played a detrimental role, such as in the Australian Open, where he had been fortunate that the roof was closed, and in Shanghai, where extreme humidity forced him to retire from a match.
After the match, Sinner was determined to understand what had gone wrong physically and mentioned that tests would be conducted for clarity. He remained hopeful about recovering in time for Wimbledon, emphasizing the need for a well-planned recuperation process.
The second round of the French Open was eventful beyond Sinner’s surprising exit. In other noteworthy matches, 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame advanced to the third round, making history as the youngest man to do so at a Grand Slam since Rafael Nadal in 2003. Meanwhile, Felix Auger-Aliassime, the highest-seeded player left in the top half of the draw after Sinner's departure, secured a victory against Roman Andres Burruchaga. Fifth-seeded Ben Shelton suffered a disappointing loss to 62nd-ranked Raphael Collignon, while Frances Tiafoe endured a nearly five-hour battle against Hubert Hurkacz.
On the women's side, Naomi Osaka showcased her unique style during her walk-on and went on to defeat Donna Vekic. Defending champion Coco Gauff and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka also secured successful victories, continuing their quests in the tournament.
