Jannik Sinner's bid for a Career Grand Slam ended in shocking fashion on Thursday at Roland Garros, where the world number one was eliminated by Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a five-set second-round meltdown. Sinner dominated early, taking the first two sets 6-3, 6-2, before a sudden physical crisis turned the match on its head.

The collapse

Late in the third set, with Sinner facing a 0-40 deficit in the tenth game, the Italian called for the physiotherapist. He was visibly struggling, limping and massaging his left thigh.

“I feel heavy-headed and I feel like I need to vomit.”

After a brief off-court medical evaluation, Sinner returned but was a shadow of himself. Cerundolo seized the moment, winning the third set 7-5 before steamrolling through the fourth and fifth sets by identical 6-1 scorelines.

A recurring nightmare

This is not the first time Sinner's body has betrayed him on the biggest stages. At the 2025 Australian Open against Holger Rune, he was seen trembling and hiding his face in a towel with stomach issues before recovering to win. At Wimbledon 2024, he took a medical timeout for dizziness and heavy legs against Daniil Medvedev, ultimately losing in five sets. His 2022 Roland Garros campaign also ended prematurely due to a knee injury against Andrey Rublev. The pattern of physical vulnerability in extreme conditions is becoming an alarming career narrative.

Scheduling controversy

The match was scheduled for the noon slot on Court Philippe Chatrier, a decision that immediately drew scrutiny. Organizers reportedly chose the early start to shield Sinner from the worst of the afternoon heat, with temperatures still below 30°C at midday. However, after two hours on court, the mercury climbed past 32°C, and Sinner's condition deteriorated rapidly. The scheduling also broke a three-year precedent: Sinner became the first men's world number one to be placed in the opening match on Chatrier during the first 11 days of the tournament since 2023. The incident has reignited debate over the tournament's extreme heat protocols.

Ranking implications

Sinner arrived in Paris defending 1,200 points from his runner-up finish in 2025. The second-round exit costs him 1,155 points, dropping his total to 13,500. Injured rival Carlos Alcaraz, who misses the tournament and will lose 2,000 points from his 2025 title, remains at 9,960. The gap between the two narrows to 3,540 points — still a commanding lead, but far smaller than the 5,000-plus margin Sinner could have built. The Italian will have a chance to extend his lead at Wimbledon, where Alcaraz is also sidelined and Sinner defends his 2025 championship.

Italian fortunes mixed

While Sinner faltered, compatriot Flavio Cobolli advanced to the third round with a straight-sets victory over China's Wu Yibing, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Cobolli matched his best Roland Garros result, last achieved in 2025 before falling to Alexander Zverev. Matteo Berrettini was also scheduled to play later Thursday evening.