World number one Jannik Sinner suffered a dramatic collapse at the French Open after squandering a commanding lead to lose in five sets against Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Sinner appeared firmly in control after racing into a two-set advantage and moving 5-1 ahead in the third set, but the Italian’s physical condition deteriorated badly as Cerundolo mounted one of the tournament’s greatest comebacks.
The Argentine eventually stormed to a remarkable 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 victory, leaving the Paris crowd stunned and ending Sinner’s hopes of lifting a maiden Roland Garros title.
Having dominated the opening exchanges with his trademark power and precision, Sinner looked destined for a routine passage into the next round before the momentum shifted dramatically midway through the third set.
Cerundolo Capitalizes as Sinner Fades Physically
Cerundolo sensed weakness in his opponent and refused to let the opportunity slip, displaying tremendous composure and relentless energy as Sinner’s movement and endurance visibly declined.
The turning point came late in the third set when Sinner, leading comfortably, suddenly began struggling during longer rallies.
The Italian started shortening points by rushing the net, while Cerundolo increased the intensity from the baseline.
Former British number one Annabel Croft, who was on commentary duty observed the alarming situation during the encounter. “Sinner looks like he is about to throw up in the middle of the court, he is not in good shape.”
As Sinner’s energy levels dipped, Cerundolo grew in confidence. The Argentine secured an early break in the deciding set after forcing repeated errors from the weary top seed.
The Chatrier crowd attempted to rally behind Sinner, but Cerundolo continued to dictate proceedings with fearless shot-making and intelligent movement.
From holding a 5-1 advantage in the third set, Sinner astonishingly managed to win only one of the next 16 games. Croft praised Cerundolo’s mental strength during the comeback, stating “this is just so impressive by Cerundolo, he just has his head down and isn’t distracted by what is happening at the other end of the court. This could be one of the all-time greatest upsets.”
The Argentine, ranked world number 56 coming into the tournament, showed remarkable maturity despite never previously advancing beyond the second round of a Grand Slam event.
Cerundolo repeatedly moved Sinner around the court during the final stages, exploiting the Italian’s fading legs and forcing desperate mistakes.
Sinner saved several break points early in the fifth set, but the resistance proved temporary as Cerundolo secured a double break to move firmly in control. With every passing game, belief surged through the Argentine camp while concern spread among Sinner’s supporters.
The Italian’s usually explosive groundstrokes lost their penetration and his movement became increasingly laboured.
The world number 56, however, remained fully focused on completing the upset. He held serve comfortably throughout the closing stages and showed no signs of nerves despite the magnitude of the occasion.
The victory marks the biggest win of Cerundolo’s career and sends shockwaves through the men’s draw at Roland Garros. For Sinner, the defeat will raise fresh questions about his fitness and ability to sustain long matches on clay despite entering the tournament as one of the favourites.
Speaking after the game, Juan Manuel Cerundolo acknowledged how difficult it is for Sinner to lose especially after leading in the opening stages.
“It’s tough for him, he was leading the match and I couldn’t win more than three games in a set. I was a little bit lucky and I feel sorry for him, he was serving to win the match. Then I don’t know what happened, I think he was cramping. Of course I feel sorry for him and I hope he recovers.”
Juan Manuel Cerundolo
On reaching the third round at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career, the Argentine revealed his excitement and expectations for the next round. “I’m super happy, I will try to keep playing my best. I like to play this tournament because clay is my best surface and I hope to be ready for the next match.”
As Cerundolo celebrated wildly on the Paris clay, the stunned crowd witnessed a result that will be remembered as one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent French Open history.
READ ALSO: CUTS Accuses MMFL of Market Dominance Abuse
