He was up two sets and a break. The tournament’s top seed, unbeaten in 30 consecutive matches, appeared to be coasting through to the third round on a scoreline that read 6-3, 6-2, 5-1.
Then the temperature hit 33 degrees Celsius. The cramp came. And Juan Manuel Cerundolo did something that had not been done at Roland Garros since the 20th century.
Cerundolo beat Jannik Sinner 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 in three hours and 36 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Thursday. The world number one is out of the French Open in the second round. Cerundolo, ranked 56th in the world, will not play a better match in his career.
What Happened
Sinner’s opening two sets were what you would expect from the most dominant player on the ATP Tour in 2026. He had swept all five Masters 1000 titles this season. He led the third set 5-1, one game from completing what should have been a comfortable afternoon.
At 5-4, 0/40, with the Paris heat at its most brutal, Sinner called for an off-court medical timeout. Cramp had settled into his legs. The stoppage was brief. The effect was permanent.
From that moment, Cerundolo won 18 of the last 20 games. He took the third set 7-5, then ran through the fourth and fifth in identical 6-1 margins. Sinner, who had barely looked troubled across the entire season, could not move the way he needed to. Cerundolo, sensing it, played every point with the intensity of a man who knew exactly what was at stake.
The Records That Place This in Context
Cerundolo is ranked 56th in the world. That makes him the lowest-ranked player to defeat a world number one at Roland Garros since 1998. He is the first player to beat the top seed at this tournament before the third round since Karol Kucera in 2000. He is the first to recover from two sets down against the world number one at a Grand Slam since 1973.
These are not rhetorical flourishes. They are specific, verifiable markers of how far outside normal probability this result sits.
Sinner had come to Paris chasing his first Roland Garros title, which would have completed a career Grand Slam. The exit, in the second round, is the opposite of the outcome he needed.
What It Means for Sinner
He remains world number one. Losing 1,250 ranking points with a second-round exit, he still holds a lead of 3,540 points over Carlos Alcaraz. The ATP rankings will not change at the top.
But the question about clay Grand Slams returns. Sinner has dominated almost everything else this season. He has not won the French Open. That gap stays open.
What It Means for the Draw
Alexander Zverev is now the highest remaining seed in the men’s draw. Novak Djokovic, still alive in the competition, is a genuine title contender. The third week in Paris looks entirely different from how it looked on Wednesday evening.
What It Means for Cerundolo
He reached his first career third round at a Grand Slam. He beat the best player on the planet. In 33 degrees of Paris heat, Cerundolo found the match of his life at exactly the right moment.
Looking Ahead
Cerundolo continues at Roland Garros in the third round. Sinner turns his attention to the grass season. For the French Open, the story of the 2026 edition just changed completely.
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