Latest Tennis News: Earth-Shattering Upset Rocks Roland-Garros

Key Points

Historical Meltdown: World No. 1 and ultimate title favorite Jannik Sinner crashed out of the French Open second round despite holding a massive two-set and 5-1 lead.
The Giant Slayer: Argentina's world No. 56 Juan Manuel Cerúndolo pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Grand Slam history, winning 18 of the final 20 games.
Extreme Heatwave: Intense Parisian temperatures peaking at 35°C (95°F) triggered severe heat illness, exhaustion, and cramping for the Italian star.
Favorites Power On: Women's draw heavyweights Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka all safely advanced to the third round.
Wide Open Draw: With Carlos Alcaraz out due to injury and Sinner eliminated, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev emerge as the prime men's singles contenders.

The 2026 French Open witnessed one of the most astonishing collapses in tennis history on Thursday, May 28, 2026, when world No. 1 and runaway title favorite Jannik Sinner was dumped out in the second round by Argentinian world No. 56 Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in a sweltering five-set thriller. Under a blistering 35°C (95°F) Paris heatwave on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Sinner appeared to be cruising toward his 31st consecutive victory while leading 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 before physically disintegrating in front of a stunned crowd. The Italian powerhouse, who entered the tournament as the odds-on favorite following Carlos Alcaraz’s pre-tournament wrist injury withdrawal, began visibly suffering from severe heat exhaustion, dizziness, and cramping. Sinner failed to convert multiple match points while serving for the match at 5-2 and 5-4, even taking an off-court medical timeout at 0-40 in the tenth game of the third set, but he simply could not recover.

Exploiting his opponent's complete lack of mobility, Cerúndolo played masterful, composed clay-court tennis, capturing the third set 7-5 and ruthlessly steamrolling through the remainder of the match to secure a historic 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 triumph after three hours and 36 minutes. Sinner’s dreams of achieving a career Grand Slam in 2026 are officially dashed, forcing him to wait another year to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires, while the Cerúndolo family celebrated a double victory as Juan Manuel's older brother, Francisco, also secured his third-round berth. Elsewhere in the completed matches, Felix Auger-Aliassime battled past Roman Andres Burruchaga (4-6, 6-0, 7-5, 6-1), while wildcard Martín Landaluce mirrored Cerúndolo's heroics by roaring back from two sets down to defeat Vít Kopřiva (1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-0), setting up a highly anticipated upcoming third-round clash against Cerúndolo himself. On the women's side, standard order was maintained as top-seed Aryna Sabalenka dispatched Elsa Jacquemot 7-5, 6-2, Coco Gauff ground out a physical 6-3, 6-2 victory over Egypt's Mayar Sherif, and Naomi Osaka marched into the third round by defeating Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekić.

With Sinner now joining a growing list of absent or eliminated men's stars—including Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Lorenzo Musetti, and Arthur Fils—the men's singles draw has cracked wide open, dramatically clearing a path for Novak Djokovic to chase a historic 25th Grand Slam title and providing a golden opportunity for Alexander Zverev to break his major drought. Upcoming matches on Friday will see the remaining field fight for second-week spots in what has officially become the most unpredictable and chaotic Grand Slam tournament of the decade.

Key Points Summary

Sinner Shock: Jannik Sinner's 30-match winning streak ends brutally after leading 6-3, 6-2, 5-1.
Paris Heat: Match temperatures touched 35°C (95°F), causing the world No. 1 to look completely depleted and lose 18 of the final 20 games.
Cerúndolo's Dream: Juan Manuel Cerúndolo advances to a Grand Slam third round for the very first time in his life.
Women's Draw Holds Strong: Favorites Gauff, Sabalenka, and Osaka progress cleanly without dropping a set.
Power Vacuum: The men's tournament is left entirely up for grabs without the top two seeds in the world.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Who defeated Jannik Sinner at the 2026 French Open?

A: Sinner was defeated by world No. 56 Juan Manuel Cerúndolo of Argentina in five sets: 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.

Q: Why did Jannik Sinner lose after leading so comfortably?

A: Sinner suffered severe physical distress brought on by a sharp French heatwave hitting 35°C (95°F). He experienced heavy cramping, dizziness, and exhaustion, which stripped him of his on-court movement.

Q: Is Carlos Alcaraz still playing in the 2026 French Open?

A: No, Carlos Alcaraz withdrew prior to the start of the tournament due to an ongoing right wrist injury.

Q: How did the top women's seeds perform today?

A: Coco Gauff defeated Mayar Sherif (6-3, 6-2) and Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elsa Jacquemot (7-5, 6-2) to cleanly advance into the third round.

Sources

Olympics Official News Portal: Jannik Sinner out of Roland-Garros 2026 in injury-hampered second-round exit to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo (Published May 28, 2026)
Hindustan Times Sports: Jannik Sinner crashes out of French Open, 30-match winning streak ends at hands of Juan Manuel Cerundolo in Paris heat (Published May 28, 2026)
Tennis.com Features: Depleted Jannik Sinner loses from two sets and 5-1 up to Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros (Published May 28, 2026)

Thank you !