Sinner’s Grand Slam Ambitions Halted by Heat and Injury at Roland Garros
The Italian’s bid to complete a career Grand Slam ends in Paris after extreme conditions and a medical timeout derail his campaign against the 56th-ranked Argentine.
Jannik Sinner’s pursuit of a maiden French Open title and a career Grand Slam has concluded prematurely following a five-set defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo. The world number one, who entered the tournament as the overwhelming favourite, was eliminated in the second round after a physical collapse attributed to extreme heat and injury. The loss marks the first time a men’s number one seed has exited the event in the second round or earlier since Andre Agassi in 2000.
Sinner, who had won 30 consecutive matches since February, held a commanding two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage in the third set. However, his momentum shifted dramatically as he began to exhibit signs of severe physical distress. Describing symptoms of dizziness and nausea, Sinner called for the trainer and took a mid-game medical timeout. His stroke speed dropped by approximately 10mph, and he struggled to generate power or chase down shots, ultimately losing 11 consecutive points before the intervention.
The match took place under sweltering conditions in Paris, with temperatures recorded at 34C (93F) and 84F at the start of play. Sinner, who had previously struggled in extreme heat at the Australian Open, appeared laboured and dejected on court. Despite taking lengthy off-court breaks between sets and receiving medical attention for his blood pressure, he was unable to regain his fitness. Cerundolo capitalised on the shift, winning the third and fourth sets with ease and taking a 4-0 lead in the decider.
Sinner managed to hold serve for only his second game in the final 18, but lost his subsequent service game to end the contest. The defeat, which saw Cerundolo win 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1, leaves Sinner’s career Grand Slam aspirations unfulfilled for another year. It also marks the first loss for the Italian since February and his first defeat on clay this season.
The exit significantly alters the landscape of the men’s draw, throwing the tournament wide open. With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz also sidelined by injury, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic now faces what is described as his best chance in recent memory to secure a record 25th major title. Cerundolo advances to the third round, where he will face either Martin Landaluce or Vit Kopriva.
