Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1 and heavy favorite for the French Open, was knocked out in the second round by Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a five-set match 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 on May 28, 2026 in Paris [1, 2, 3, 4]. The match took place under hot conditions with temperatures around 34C, which contributed to Sinner’s physical struggles [2, 3, 5]. Sinner, 24, suffered dizziness, cramps, and severe loss of energy during the long contest [1, 4, 6]. "I struggled, started to feel very dizzy. I was very low of energy," Sinner said. "I tried to serve it out but didn't have a lot of energy... I hit the wall, that's it" [1].

Before the tournament, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew with a wrist injury, removing another top contender from the field [1, 2, 7]. Sinner entered the event as a strong favorite after winning major clay titles at Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome this season—the biggest men’s major favorite since Rafael Nadal in 2009 [1, 8, 9].

Cerundolo credited his mental resilience and focus for the upset. "The match was almost lost, but I stayed mentally (strong) during the whole match," he said. "I was prepared to battle as long as it took... I was lucky he had cramp and his level went down" [1, 4, 6].

With Sinner’s exit and Alcaraz absent, the men’s draw is now wide open. Novak Djokovic, 39, seeded third, is the most experienced player remaining and the lead favorite to win a record 25th Grand Slam title [1, 2, 3, 7, 9]. Other contenders like Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and rising American players including Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Learner Tien, and Tommy Paul see increased opportunity in the field [1, 2, 7, 5, 10]. Learner Tien said, "A lot of these younger guys, myself included, are just very eager to go out and prove themselves" [2].

Former champion and tennis commentator Jim Courier called Sinner’s loss "a seismic event in the draw" and said it opens the path for unexpected finalists [9]. Frances Tiafoe said, "Now that he's out, I think everyone is going to have more but ultimately it doesn't really matter. You've got to beat one guy and whoever is in front of you" [2].

Sinner plans to rest before Wimbledon, starting June 29, and aim to return stronger for future clay events and a career Grand Slam [1, 4, 6].