World No.1 Jannik Sinner suffered one of the most shocking defeats of the French Open 2026 after Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cernudolo produced a stunning comeback win at Roland Garros on Thursday.
Sinner, who entered the tournament as the favourite to win the title, was knocked out in the second round after losing 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 despite leading by two sets and holding a commanding 5-1 advantage in the third set on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The Italian star looked in complete control for more than two hours and appeared set to cruise into the third round before the intense Paris heat dramatically changed the match.
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With temperatures rising close to 35 degrees Celsius, Sinner began struggling physically midway through the third set. The World No.1 looked exhausted, repeatedly bent over in discomfort and struggled badly with movement as the match slipped away from him.
Sinner was even serving for the match at 5-2 in the third set but failed to close it out. From that moment, the momentum completely shifted in Cerundolo’s favour.
The Argentine held his nerve brilliantly and took advantage of Sinner’s physical struggles to complete one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
The collapse was dramatic. After leading comfortably, Sinner lost 18 of the next 20 games as Cerundolo dominated the final stages of the contest.
The Italian also took a medical timeout during the third set after visibly struggling with heat illness and exhaustion. Even after treatment, Sinner was unable to recover fully and his serving speed dropped significantly during the latter stages of the match.
Cerundolo, meanwhile, produced some outstanding tennis under pressure. The 24-year-old saved multiple break points during the fourth set and continued attacking aggressively while Sinner battled fitness issues.
The Argentine eventually sealed the memorable win 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 to knock the World No. 1 out of the tournament.
Sinner’s exit comes as a huge blow to the French Open 2026, especially after Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament due to injury before the start of the event. The Italian had arrived in Paris after an incredible run on clay, winning Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
The defeat also ends Sinner’s hopes of completing a career Grand Slam this year. With the top seed now out of the competition, the men’s draw at Roland Garros has suddenly opened up. Novak Djokovic will now fancy his chances of chasing a historic 25th Grand Slam title, while Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, Ben Shelton and Felix Auger-Aliassime also remain in contention.
For Cerundolo, however, the night belonged entirely to him as he pulled off the biggest win of his career against the top-ranked player in the world.
