Key Takeaways
- Jannik Sinner, the top seed and 30‑match‑win streak holder, was stunned in the second round of the 2026 French Open, losing to 56th‑ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo 3‑6, 2‑6, 7‑5, 6‑1, 6‑1.
- Sinner led 5‑1 in the third set and had a chance to serve for the match, but then lost 18 consecutive points, appeared physically ill, and required medical attention before the set slipped away.
- The loss ends Sinner’s bid for a career Grand Slam, leaves Novak Djokovic as the sole remaining major champion in the draw, and makes Cerundolo the first men’s No. 1 seed to fall in the second round or earlier since Andre Agassi in 2000.
- While the temperature rose to 90 °F, Sinner attributed his collapse to personal fatigue rather than heat, noting he tried to shorten points with drop shots and serve‑and‑volley tactics.
- Other notable results: 17‑year‑old Moise Kouame became the youngest man to reach a Grand Slam third round since Nadal in 2003; Felix Auger‑Aliassime advanced as the highest‑seeded player left in the top half; Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe endured lengthy battles; Francisco Cerundolo also progressed.
On May 28, 2026, the French Open witnessed one of its biggest shocks when defending finalist and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner was defeated in the second round by 56th‑ranked Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Sinner entered the match riding a 30‑match winning streak that began in February and was heavily favored to capture his first Roland Garros title, a victory that would have completed a career Grand Slam. The odds reflected that confidence: he was a -50000 favorite on the day and a -300 pretournament pick for the championship, the second‑shortest odds at a Slam since at least 1990.
From the outset, Sinner looked sharp, winning the first two sets 6‑3, 6‑2 and appearing poised to close the match. However, the tide turned dramatically in the third set. After breaking Cerundolo’s serve to lead 5‑1, Sinner had two opportunities to serve for the match at 5‑4. Instead, he lost 18 points in a row, falling to 0‑40 on his serve. Visibly distressed, he bent over, walked to his chair, and was attended to by medical staff who checked his condition and blood pressure. After a brief hiatus, he returned to the court but could not recover the momentum, losing three more games and dropping the set.
The physical toll continued into the fourth and fifth sets. Sinner repeatedly hunched over the clay, his movement markedly reduced, and he resorted to drop shots and serve‑and‑volley tactics in an effort to shorten points. He later explained, “I woke up this morning, didn’t feel very well and tried to keep the points very short… I just kind of hit the wall.” He added that he could not recall feeling that weak in recent memory and attempted to cool himself with a handheld fan and ice packs around his neck. Despite these measures, he dropped 18 of the final 20 games of the match.
Cerundolo, a 32‑1 underdog (live odds as high as 100‑1), expressed sympathy for his opponent, noting that Sinner “deserved to win a lot of matches” and that the outcome was puzzling. The Argentine’s victory makes him the first men’s No. 1 seed to lose in the second round or earlier at a Grand Slam since Andre Agassi’s 2000 Wimbledon loss.
Sinner downplayed the role of heat, saying the temperature—starting at 84 °F and climbing to 90 °F—was “quite OK to play” and that his difficulties were internal rather than weather‑related. He acknowledged that he had struggled with heat before, citing a January Australian Open match where the roof was closed, but insisted that today’s issue was personal fatigue.
The loss reshapes the French Open landscape. With Sinner out, Novak Djokovic remains the only player in the draw who has previously won a major title, opening the path for a first‑time Slam champion since either Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz (who withdrew with a wrist injury) claimed a crown. It also means that, for the first time since Djokovic’s 2023 US Open triumph, a major will be won by someone outside the Sinner‑Alcaraz duo.
Elsewhere in the tournament, several storylines emerged. Seventeen‑year‑old French qualifier Moise Kouame became the youngest man to reach a Grand Slam third round since Rafael Nadal at 2003 Wimbledon, defeating Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in five sets. Felix Auger‑Aliassime, now the highest‑seeded player left in the top half after Sinner’s exit, beat Roman Andrés Burruchaga 4‑6, 6‑0, 7‑5, 6‑1. Fifth‑seeded Ben Shelton fell to 62nd‑ranked Belgian Raphael Collignon 6‑4, 7‑5, 6‑4, while Frances Tiafoe survived a near‑five‑hour marathon against Hubert Hurkacz 6‑7(5), 7‑6(5), 6‑4, 6‑7(1), 6‑4. In another notable result, Francisco Cerundolo—Juan’s older brother—advanced past Hugo Gaston 2‑6, 6‑4, 6‑2, 6‑1.
Looking ahead, Sinner said he would skip lead‑in grass events and concentrate on recovery in preparation for Wimbledon, which begins June 29. “Let’s hope we’re ready for Wimbledon,” he remarked, emphasizing the need to “recuperate well and do things right now.” The upset not only ends Sinner’s remarkable streak but also injects fresh uncertainty into the remainder of the 2026 Grand Slam season.