05/28/26 09:03:00
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05/28 09:01 CDT Top-ranked Jannik Sinner loses in the French Open second round
Top-ranked Jannik Sinner loses in the French Open second round
By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) --- Formidable title favorite Jannik Sinner is out of the French
Open in the second round.
Sinner lost to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 while
struggling with the heat and wasting a chance to serve for the match on
Thursday.
Sinner was on a 30-match winning streak stretching back to February and the
odds were overwhelming he'd complete a career Grand Slam by winning the only
big title missing in his tennis career --- especially with two-time reigning
champion Carlos Alcaraz out due to an injured right wrist.
Sinner bent over on the clay court in apparent exhaustion multiple times and
was hardly even running for shots as the match wore on, resorting to drop shots
and serve-and-volley tactics to try and shorten the points.
He attempted to cool himself with a hand-held fan on changeovers and put bags
of ice around his neck.
The temperature at the start of the match was 29 degrees C (84 F) and then rose
to 32 C (90 F).
Sinner was serving for Thursday's match at 5-4, 0-40 in the third set when he
bent over on the court and then walked to his chair. He asked for assistance
and left the court. His entire light blue outfit was soaked through with sweat.
Between the third and fourth sets, Sinner received medical attention and left
the court. Minerals were added to his drink when he returned but Sinner wasn't
able to recuperate.
Sinner last lost on Feb. 19 in the Qatar Open quarterfinals. He had won five
straight titles and hardly dropped a set.
On the same Court Philippe Chatrier, Sinner wasted three match points against
Alcaraz in last year's final before losing the title match in a fifth-set
tiebreaker.
Sinner also struggled in the heat at the Australian Open against Eliot
Spizzirri in January. The roof was closed and the third-round match swung his
way.
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AP Sports Writers Samuel Petrequin and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this
report.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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