Jannik Sinner's 30-match winning run came to an abrupt halt at the French Open on Thursday as the world No 1 succumbed to sweltering conditions in a five-set, second-round loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
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Sinner, the red-hot favourite at Roland Garros, appeared to be cruising to victory, holding a two-set lead and a commanding 5–1 advantage in the third, before suddenly taking a turn for the worse.
The Italian complained of dehydration and dizziness, saying he felt as though he might vomit, and was visibly struggling as temperatures once again climbed above 30C during a record-breaking heatwave in France.
Sinner suddenly looked a shadow of himself and an inspired Cerundolo seized his chance to pull off an improbable comeback, prevailing 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
Sinner arrived in Paris on the back of winning all three of the clay-court Masters titles, with his odds of completing a career Grand Slam enhanced further by the absence of injured rival Carlos Alcaraz.
Instead, the 24-year-old suffered his earliest exit at a major since losing at the same stage of the French Open in 2023.
"It's tough for him (Sinner). I think I was a little bit lucky," said Cerundolo, who goes on to play Martin Landaluce or Vit Kopriva in the last 32.
"I feel sorry for him. He was deserving to win and then I don't know what happened to him. Maybe cramping, maybe the pressure, but I hope he recovers."
It was another bitterly disappointing ending at Roland Garros for last year's runner-up who held three championship points 12 months ago before losing to Alcaraz.
There were few signs of what was to come as Sinner sailed through the first two sets, picking up where he left off after a typically efficient opening-round win.
But the wheels began to come off with the finish line in sight.
Sinner left Court Philippe Chatrier to receive medical treatment while serving for the match at 5-4, albeit 0-40 down. He returned minutes later but Cerundolo sensed his opportunity against an ailing opponent.
The Argentine won 18 consecutive points as he clawed his way back from the brink, breaking Sinner three times in a row to send the match to a fourth set.
Sinner, hunched over periodically in the shade at the back of the court between rallies, earned three break points early in the fourth but couldn't capitalise.
Cerundolo, the world number 56 with just two Grand Slam match wins before this tournament, took advantage and broke twice more to run away with the set and force a decider.
The Buenos Aires native didn't blink as Sinner tried to gamely hang on, Cerundolo putting away the struggling top seed for the biggest win of his career.
"I'm super happy," said Cerundolo. "I'm going to keep trying to play my best. It's a tournament I really like to play, clay is my best surface."