Andre Agassi Questions Jannik Sinner’s Preparation After Shock Roland Garros Exit: ‘There’s No Excuse For Him’

Jannik Sinner’s early exit from Roland Garros has drawn sharp criticism from one of tennis’s all-time greats, with Andre Agassi delivering an unsparing verdict on the world No. 1’s shock defeat in the second round of the 2026 French Open.

Sinner, who entered the tournament as the heavy favourite following defending champion Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal through injury, appeared to be comfortably progressing against Juan Manuel Cerundolo before a dramatic reversal. With the Italian one game from advancing, rising temperatures in Paris triggered a physical collapse that saw Sinner surrender the final two sets 6-1, 6-1.

Speaking on the TNT Sports network in the United States, Agassi — an eight-time Grand Slam champion — declined to temper his assessment of the incident, directing his criticism squarely at what he described as a failure of preparation rather than fitness. The remarks carry additional weight given that Agassi previously worked alongside Sinner’s current coach, Darren Cahill, during his own playing career.

“Sinner going out was huge,” Agassi told TNT Sports. “I mean, I had a body clock of about four hours when I played. And if you gave me hot conditions, it dropped to about 3:45 or 3:50. I didn’t change a lot. If you gave me great conditions maybe I could stretch it to 4:10 to 4:15. But to go from him playing five-and-a-half hours last year in the finals and then having the heat tap him out in an hour and 45, there’s a difference between being fit and being prepared.”

Agassi drew a clear distinction between Sinner’s physical capability — evidenced by his marathon five-and-a-half-hour performance in last year’s Roland Garros final — and what he characterised as a gap in match-day preparation. “I have to point at a flaw in that kind of preparation because there’s something you can do about that,” he said. “It’s not that that dude doesn’t work hard. It’s not that he’s not fit. He was one game away and the whole draw opened up. We all thought we’d see him not even lose a set.”

The American legend went further, pinpointing hydration as a likely area of concern and detailing his own pre-match protocols when competing in extreme heat. “I know before I went out there in Australia and played in best three-out-of-five in hot conditions, I’m drinking 10 to 12 litres of water within 24 hours of that match, plus my carb ratio, four to one protein over carbs, you know that sort of deal,” Agassi explained. “It’s better to have it in you and not need it than to need it and not have it. I question his intake and if he’s doing it properly.”

Agassi also noted that this was not an isolated incident for Sinner, referencing the pattern of heat-related difficulties. “I’m sure he has a staff of doctors and people. But repeating the same thing twice and expecting a different result — that’s where I call a little Yahtzee on all of it,” he said. “He needs to figure out what to change. He may need to bring someone in. It’s got to be some form of hydration issue. I know nothing about his preparation. I know he can play for five-and-a-half hours — he’s proven it — I know he’s the best player on the planet right now. But I also know there’s no excuse for him to run into a wall at one hour, 45.”

Sinner himself did not cite the heat as a mitigating factor following the defeat, declining to offer any public excuse for the result. However, Agassi’s comments have reignited discussion around the manner of the Italian’s exit, with fellow tennis figures also weighing in. Former world No. 1 coach Toni Nadal described the situation as “truly strange,” while Italian tennis great Adriano Panatta stated that what is happening to Sinner “is not normal.”

With Sinner retaining his position as world No. 1 despite the result, the focus now shifts to how the 23-year-old and his team respond ahead of Wimbledon, the next Grand Slam on the calendar. Agassi’s public challenge is likely to be put to Sinner directly the next time he addresses the media.