World number one Jannik Sinner saw his French Open campaign come to a dramatic halt on Thursday, as the overwhelming favourite crashed out in the second round due to severe cramping and illness. The Italian was just one game away from victory, leading two sets to love and 5-1 against Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo, when he suffered a physical breakdown. Barely able to move, Sinner called for the trainer and expressed a desire to vomit. Despite continuing, he managed only two more games as Cerundolo completed one of the biggest shocks in Grand Slam history.
Career Grand Slam Dream Dashed
This defeat means Sinner's dream of completing a Career Grand Slam at Roland Garros is over for another year. Last year, he had three championship points in a historic final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. After the match, Sinner hinted he would take a break and not compete until Wimbledon on 29 June.
Extreme Weather Rules at French Open
The French Open does have an extreme weather policy, but the conditions on Thursday did not meet the threshold for suspension. The policy uses the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which considers temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover. Play is suspended when WBGT hits 32.2°C (90°F). At the start of Sinner's match, the temperature was 29°C, rising to around 32°C later. If WBGT reaches 30.1°C, a 10-minute rest is allowed between the third and fourth sets in men's matches, but the required level for suspension was not reached. Notably, the policy does not include closing the roof, unlike the Australian Open.
How Heat Affects Athletes
Dr. Lindsey Hunt of Precision Hydration explains that heat impacts athletes in phases. The first is excessive heat storage: if sweat production cannot keep up, body temperature rises. This can lead to a leaky gut, where gut bacteria enter the bloodstream, and dangerously high body temperatures above 40°C. Dehydration also poses risks of nausea and elevated heart rate if fluid intake does not match increased sweat loss.
Sinner's Account
To his credit, Sinner did not blame tournament organisers or use the weather as an excuse. "It was warm, but not crazy warm," the 24-year-old said. "It was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me today, but it happens." Instead, he revealed he felt ill earlier in the day. "I had no energy today. That can happen. Nobody is a robot," Sinner added. "I woke up this morning, didn't feel very well and tried to keep points very short. In the beginning, I was hitting very clean, very good, and then I just hit a wall. I started feeling dizzy. Very low on energy. I tried to serve it out but I didn't have a lot of energy."
Schedule Blamed?
Sinner had won Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome over the previous six weeks, with the latter two being part of the new extended 10-day Masters series. Former British number one Tim Henman suggested Sinner should have skipped Madrid or Rome, but Sinner disagreed: "If I don't play Madrid or Rome, maybe I come here and I still have a day like this where you feel sick. Looking back it's always tough. I won three tournaments on clay. Incredible results. Amazing streak I've had. In the beginning of the year, this is my main goal here. A very early exit is not what I was looking for, but you also don't know if things would have changed if I would maybe skip Madrid and play only Rome."
Next Steps
Sinner indicated he will now rest and not play until defending his Wimbledon title, with the 2026 Championships starting on 29 June. He usually plays a grass-court warm-up at Halle in mid-June but said: "I won't play any tournament on grass before, most likely. Now I need really some time off, recover completely, also mentally, and then be ready to go again for Wimby."
