The stunner of all stunners took place at Roland Garros on Thursday.
Jannik Sinner is out of the French Open in a massive second-round upset. The No. 1 ranked player in the world, and heavy favorite on the clay with Carlos Alcaraz still out injured, couldn’t get past 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina.
Sinner won the first set 6-3, the second 6-2 and led 5-4 in the third set. It appeared to be a breeze.
But then he bent over, walked to his chair and left the court at 0-40 in that game, the heat appearing to get to him, and he never recovered.
Sinner lost 18 of the final 20 games.
The final score for Cerundolo was 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
Sinner had won his last 30 matches.
This loss means he still has not won the French Open. It’s the only thing missing for him from a career Grand Slam.
Entering this tournament, Sinner was being crowned almost as a matter of fact. The men’s tennis world lately has been Sinner, Alcaraz and everyone else.
Alcaraz remains absent, and so it has appeared of late that no one can contend with Sinner.
Mother Nature, though, on a day that had a match-opening temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, apparently can still clash successfully with the best tennis player in the world.
It’s also created quite the compelling storyline the rest of the way in France. With Sinner out, anyone could win this tournament. Players who have felt the brick wall that is Sinner in front of them now have a path to a career-defining tournament victory.
For Cerundolo, it’s the biggest individual match win of his life.
And for everyone else in the bracket, the tourney has opened up. Sinner is out, in shocking fashion, and the French Open is wide open.
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