Top-ranked Jannik Sinner was eliminated from the French Open in the second round, falling to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday. The world No. 1 struggled with the heat and missed a chance to serve for the match in the third set.
Sinner's Winning Streak Snapped
Sinner entered the match on a 30-match winning streak dating back to February. He had won five consecutive titles and was widely expected to complete a career Grand Slam by capturing the only major missing from his collection, especially with two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by a right wrist injury.
Heat Takes Its Toll
The temperature at the start of the match was 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) and rose to 32 C (90 F). Sinner showed signs of exhaustion throughout, bending over on the clay court and barely running for shots in the later sets. He used drop shots and serve-and-volley tactics to shorten points. During changeovers, he cooled himself with a hand-held fan and placed bags of ice around his neck.
Turning Point
Sinner was serving for the match at 5-4, 0-40 in the third set when he bent over on court and then walked to his chair. He requested assistance and left the court, his light blue outfit soaked with sweat. Between the third and fourth sets, he received medical attention and had minerals added to his drink, but he could not recover. Cerundolo then dominated the final two sets, losing only two games.
Echoes of Past Struggles
On the same Court Philippe Chatrier, Sinner squandered three match points against Alcaraz in last year's final before losing in a fifth-set tiebreaker. He also struggled with heat during the Australian Open in January against Eliot Spizzirri, though the roof was closed in that match.
- Sinner's last loss before Thursday was on Feb. 19 in the Qatar Open quarterfinals.
- He had won five straight titles and hardly dropped a set during that run.
- Cerundolo, ranked 56th, advances to the third round for his best Grand Slam result.
AP Sports Writers Samuel Petrequin and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.
