Jannik Sinner Exits French Open in Stunning Collapse as Unseeded Cerúndolo Wins 19 of Final 21 Games at Roland Garros

Juan Manuel Cerúndolo produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent Roland Garros history on May 28, 2026, defeating world No. 1 Jannik Sinner 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 in the second round to end the Italian’s dominant 30-match winning streak.

The scale of the turnaround is almost without precedent at this level of the sport. Sinner, ranked No. 1 in the world and the winner of the Madrid Open just three weeks prior, held a 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 lead on Court Philippe-Chatrier — a single game away from advancing to the third round. What followed was a catastrophic unravelling that will be difficult to forget.

Sinner lost 15 consecutive points as visible physical distress set in. Severe dehydration and full-body cramps rendered the 24-year-old Italian unable to move with any fluidity, and a medical timeout during the match failed to reverse his deteriorating condition. From 5-1 up in the third set, Sinner was effectively a bystander as Cerúndolo seized control.

According to Roland Garros, Cerúndolo won 19 of the final 21 games to complete the comeback, a statistic that underlines the totality of Sinner’s collapse and the relentlessness of the Argentine’s performance.

Cerúndolo, ranked No. 56 in the world and unseeded for the tournament, is the younger brother of Francisco Cerúndolo, who has previously featured as a seeded player at Grand Slams. At 24 years old, Juan Manuel had not previously reached this level of Grand Slam prominence, making the victory a career-defining result. He displayed composed, disciplined tennis across the final three sets, refusing to allow Sinner any foothold once the momentum shifted.

For Sinner, the defeat represents a significant blow heading into a stretch of the season where he had been positioned as one of the principal favourites for the Roland Garros title. His 30-match winning streak, which had included the Madrid Open triumph, was among the most sustained runs of form on the ATP Tour in recent memory. The Italian had reached the French Open semi-finals in 2024 before losing to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, and had been widely expected to mount a serious title challenge this year.

The result leaves the men’s draw without its top seed at the second-round stage, opening significant opportunities for the remaining contenders. Cerúndolo will now advance to the third round, where he faces a draw that, on paper, has shifted considerably in his favour.

Sinner’s physical breakdown raises questions about his preparation and recovery schedule ahead of the grass-court season, with Wimbledon less than five weeks away. The extent of the cramping and dehydration he suffered during the match is likely to be assessed by his medical team in the coming days.

Cerúndolo’s victory is already being discussed as one of the more improbable second-round results in recent Grand Slam history, given the scoreline at which the match appeared to have been settled. Whether the Argentine can sustain this level deep into the tournament remains to be seen, but his place in Roland Garros history for this result is already secured.