World Number 1 Jannik Sinner Stunned in French Open

By Eppe Franklyne

Jannik Sinner suffered a shocking exit from the French Open after physical problems derailed his campaign in a dramatic five-set defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros on Thursday.

The Italian entered the tournament as the leading favourite after winning claycourt titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome. With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz ruled out through injury and Novak Djokovic still struggling for consistency, many expected Jannik Sinner to finally claim his maiden French Open crown and complete a career Grand Slam.

Sinner looked dominant in the opening stages and comfortably took the first two sets 6-3, 6-2. The 24-year-old controlled the rallies with powerful groundstrokes and appeared on course for an easy victory despite the intense heat in Paris, where temperatures climbed above 30 degrees Celsius.

The match turned dramatically in the third set. Jannik Sinner stormed into a 5-1 lead before suddenly showing signs of discomfort. He stopped play while serving at 5-4 and later returned from a medical timeout, but his rhythm had completely disappeared. Cerundolo seized the moment and fought back strongly to claim the set 7-5.

The Argentine continued to pile pressure on the struggling Italian. Sinner looked exhausted and failed to recover as Cerundolo dominated the final two sets 6-1, 6-1 to complete one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

The defeat sent shockwaves across Roland Garros, ending Jannik Sinner’s hopes of lifting the French Open trophy and leaving the men’s draw wide open.

Did this defeat expose a weakness in Jannik Sinner’s game on the biggest stage?