Sinner’s French Open Hopes Dashed in Heat-Stricken Match
Jannik Sinner’s pursuit of his first French Open title and the completion of a career grand slam ended abruptly as he succumbed to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in a grueling five-set match on a sweltering Thursday. The Italian, ranked world No. 1, was defeated 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 amid soaring on-court temperatures.
Sinner initially dominated the match, securing the first two sets 6-3, 6-2 with relative ease. He then surged to a commanding 5-1 lead in the third set but subsequently lost three consecutive games. At that point, he requested medical treatment off the court. Despite this, he was unable to regain momentum and dropped the next two sets, ultimately losing the deciding set.
Heat Takes Toll on Top-Ranked Player
The Italian struggled notably with the heat during a critical moment while serving for the match at 5-4, 0-40 in the third set. He bent over on the court before walking to his chair and seeking assistance, visibly affected by the conditions. His light blue attire was soaked with sweat, underscoring the physical challenge he faced.
Upon returning with an ice pack around his neck, Sinner immediately lost the next point after a poorly executed sliced backhand went wide. He then lost the third set 7-5 and left the court again.
The match began with temperatures at 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) and was expected to rise to 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) as play continued. Sinner was on a 30-match winning streak dating back to February but had previously shown signs of difficulty in extreme heat, notably at the Australian Open in January against Eliot Spizzirri, where the roof was closed and the match swung in his favor.
Career Grand Slam Ambition Remains Unfulfilled
Sinner, ranked world No. 1, was aiming to complete a career grand slam by capturing his first French Open title, a milestone that now remains elusive following this defeat.
