Jannik Sinner, the world number 1 tennis player, lost to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round of the French Open in a huge upset.
Sinner, the overwhelming favorite, came into the French Open with a 29-match winning streak and had won 5 straight events, including Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. This tournament was even more in his favor because number 2 Carlos Alcaraz suffered a right wrist injury, forcing him to withdraw from the tournament before it began. With minimal competition, Sinner was expected to keep his winning streak. The streak extended to 30 matches after he comfortably won his first-round match in Paris against Clément Tabur, winning 3 straight sets to end the match quickly. But the French heat got to Sinner in his second-round match. The temperature of the court at the start of the match was 84 degrees fahrenheit and then rose to 90. He completely fell apart and threw away a 2-set lead to Cerundolo, losing 18 points in a row after being up 5-1 in the third set. Although the medical staff attended to him in between the match, it was not enough; he lost three more games and then the set.
This was a monumental moment in the sport of tennis, as it is the first time a men’s number 1 lost in the second round or earlier since 2000. Recently, many tennis fans believe that tournaments have become more predictable, as Sinner and Alcaraz are always expected to dominate. However, the 2026 French Open is unique in that both stars are out early. Now, German Alexander Zverev, the number 3 behind Sinner and Alcaraz, is the favorite to go all the way, winning his quarter-final match against Jodar in a 3-set blowout. With the final coming up on June 7th, anticipation is high to see who will step up in the rare absence of the 2 best tennis players in the world.
