Andrew Dampf
Formidable title favourite Jannik Sinner is out of the French Open in the second round.
Sinner lost to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 while struggling with the heat and wasting a chance to serve for the match on Thursday.
Sinner was on a 30-match winning streak stretching back to February and the odds were overwhelming he’d complete a career Grand Slam by winning the only big title missing in his tennis career – especially with two-time reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz out due to an injured right wrist.
Sinner bent over on the clay court in apparent exhaustion multiple times and was hardly even running for shots as the match wore on, resorting to drop shots and serve-and-volley tactics to try and shorten the points.
He attempted to cool himself with a hand-held fan on changeovers and put bags of ice around his neck.
The temperature at the start of the match was 29C and then rose to 32C.
Sinner was serving for Thursday’s match at 5-4, 0-40 in the third set when he bent over on the court and then walked to his chair. He asked for assistance and left the court. His entire light blue outfit was soaked through with sweat.
Between the third and fourth sets, Sinner received medical attention and left the court. Minerals were added to his drink when he returned, but Sinner wasn’t able to recuperate.
Sinner last lost on February 19 in the Qatar Open quarterfinals. He had won five straight titles and hardly dropped a set.
On the same Court Philippe-Chatrier, Sinner wasted three match points against Alcaraz in last year’s final before losing the title match in a fifth-set tiebreaker.
