Sinner’s Grand Slam bid ends in Paris as illness forces second-round exit
The Italian star attributed his defeat to personal illness rather than tournament conditions, as officials confirm heat thresholds were not met despite rising temperatures.
World number one Jannik Sinner’s campaign at the French Open concluded in dramatic fashion on Thursday, as the Italian player was eliminated in the second round following a physical breakdown against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Sinner, who entered the tournament as the overwhelming favourite with pre-tournament odds of -275, was leading two sets to one and 5-1 in the third set when he began to struggle, ultimately losing the match 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
The defeat halts Sinner’s pursuit of a Career Grand Slam at Roland Garros, ending a streak of 30 consecutive victories. The collapse occurred while Sinner was serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set. He called for medical attention, reporting symptoms that included cramping, dizziness, and nausea, stating he "wanted to vomit." Cerundolo recovered from the setback to win 18 of the final 20 games in a significant upset.
Although the match took place under warm conditions, with temperatures rising from 29C at the start to approximately 32C later in the contest, the tournament’s heat policy was not activated. Roland Garros utilises Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) sensors on Court Philippe-Chatrier and Court 14 to monitor conditions. While a 10-minute rest period is mandated if the WBGT reaches 30.1C, play is only suspended if the threshold hits 32.2C. On Thursday, the reading did not reach the suspension level, meaning the standard schedule remained in effect.
Sinner explicitly rejected the notion that the weather was the primary cause of his defeat. "It was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me today," the 24-year-old said. He explained that he had felt unwell and lacked energy from the morning, noting, "I woke up this morning, didn't feel very well and tried to keep points very short." He added that he felt dizzy and had "very low on energy" when attempting to serve out the set.
The loss has sparked debate regarding Sinner’s schedule, particularly his recent victories at the Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome Masters 1000 events. Former British number one Tim Henman suggested Sinner should have skipped one of the recent clay-court tournaments to preserve his fitness. Sinner, however, dismissed the hindsight analysis, arguing that skipping Madrid or Rome might not have prevented the illness, stating, "You also don't know if things would have changed if I would maybe skip Madrid and play only Rome."
Looking ahead, Sinner indicated he will take a significant break from competition. He confirmed he is unlikely to participate in traditional grass-court warm-up events, such as the tournament in Halle, and will not play again until the Wimbledon Championships begin on 29 June. "Now I need really some time off, recover completely, also mentally, and then be ready to go again for Wimby," he said.
