Jannik Sinner, the world number one and top seed at the French Open, suffered a surprising second-round exit on Thursday after a five-set loss to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros. The match ended 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 in favor of Cerundolo, marking one of the biggest upsets in recent Grand Slam tennis history.

Sinner had arrived in Paris as the overwhelming favorite to claim his first French Open title and complete a career Grand Slam, particularly with fellow contender Carlos Alcaraz sidelined due to a wrist injury. The Italian was riding a 30-match winning streak, having secured three consecutive Masters 1000 clay-court titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. However, his unexpected defeat on Court Philippe-Chatrier abruptly ended both that streak and his run of Grand Slam dominance.

After the match, Sinner attributed his poor performance not to the heat or weather conditions, which reached above 30 degrees Celsius, but to a combination of fatigue, illness, and a restless night’s sleep. “I struggled, starting to feel very dizzy, very low on energy,” he explained. “I woke up this morning, didn’t feel very well and tried to keep the points very short… In the middle of the third set I felt it, even though I was playing some great tennis. Really couldn’t find any energy. It was a tough spot to be in.”

Sinner’s difficulties were evident late in the third set when, trailing 0-40, he took an unusual medical timeout after sitting on the advertising hoardings. The umpire called physiotherapists onto the court during the game, allowing Sinner to receive treatment in a cooler area, a decision that drew criticism from former British player Tim Henman, who argued that such breaks should be at the players’ discretion and not involve umpire intervention.

Cerundolo, ranked 56th in the world, advanced to the last 32 of a major for the first time and expressed sympathy for Sinner’s condition. “I feel sorry for him because he deserved to win a lot of matches,” the Argentine said. “He was serving to win the match. Then I don’t know what happened – I think he was cramping, maybe pressure. I hope he recovers.”

Sinner reflected on his demanding schedule during the clay season as a contributing factor to his physical state. “Many things came together... I played a lot and I didn’t have a lot of time to recover,” he said. “I need really some time off to recover completely, also mentally, and then be ready to go again.” He indicated that he would likely skip grass-court tune-up events leading up to Wimbledon, where he is the defending champion.

With Sinner and Alcaraz both absent from contention, the men’s draw at Roland Garros has been thrown wide open, leaving Novak Djokovic as the only remaining player with a Grand Slam title this season in the field. The tournament continues amid a heatwave that has affected several competitors, highlighting the physical demands faced by players during this year’s event.