Sinner suffers shock French Open exit to Cerundolo after succumbing to sweltering heat

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Sinner[/a], 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.[/p][p]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 30 degrees during a record-breaking heatwave in France.[/p][p][b]Sinner suddenly looked a shadow of himself, and an inspired [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-juan-manuel/A93TM7BR/"]Cerundolo[/a] seized his chance to pull off an improbable comeback, prevailing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cerundolo-j-m-A93TM7BR/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/?mid=UcWRM6Wi"]3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.[/a][/b][/p][embed guid="9d584ad0-b883-4ce4-8277-731b1dc0812e" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spv9oa4rwUQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]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 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a].[/p][p]Instead, the 24-year-old suffered his earliest exit at a major since losing at the same stage of the French Open in 2023.[/p][p][b]"It's tough for him (Sinner). I think I was a little bit lucky,"[/b] said Cerundolo, who goes on to play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/landaluce-martin/AoOnGZEp/"]Martin Landaluce[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kopriva-vit/EHGKxKDL/"]Vit Kopriva[/a] in the last 32.[/p][p][b]"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."[/b][/p][p]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.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="b65ded77-b471-4ce8-81c8-201d0d19d36e" credit-line="Flashscore (Mathias Schulz / Zuma Press / Profimedia)" guid="fb27f84d-503d-4f74-9689-35d27348b671" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]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.[/p][p][b]But the wheels began to come off with the finish line in sight.[/b][/p][p]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.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]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.[/p][embed guid="33141e5e-3864-4240-a7ef-a2e9a447802c" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2059995768920887726" social-type="twitter" /][p]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.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]"I'm super happy," said Cerundolo. [b]"I'm going to keep trying to play my best. It's a tournament I really like to play, clay is my best surface."[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cerundolo-j-m-A93TM7BR/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/?mid=UcWRM6Wi"]Click here for more on the match.[/a][/b][/p]