Sinner eliminated from Roland-Garros after Juan Manuel Cerúndolo’s great comeback
Jannik Sinner, the top seed and the world’s No. 1 tennis player, ended his Roland-Garros campaign already in the second round of the men’s singles after one of the biggest comebacks of the tournament so far. Argentine tennis player Juan Manuel Cerúndolo won in Paris on May 28, 2026, by a score of 3:6, 2:6, 7:5, 6:1, 6:1, although Sinner had led 2:0 in sets and 5:1 in the third set. According to official Roland-Garros data, the match was played on clay as part of the second round, and the outcome opened one of the tournament’s main questions: how quickly can a title favorite collapse when the physical conditions, rhythm and confidence on court change.
Sinner arrived in Paris as a player from whom the deepest possible tournament run was expected. In the first part of the match, it seemed that he would justify his status as favorite without major difficulties. He controlled the baseline, gained an early advantage in rallies and convincingly won the first two sets. In those moments, Cerúndolo looked like a player who was struggling to find a way to constantly pressure the Italian, especially because Sinner successfully changed the directions of his shots and forced his opponent into defense from awkward positions.
The comeback began when the match practically looked settled. Sinner had 5:1 in the third set and was one step away from reaching the third round, but then he lost his rhythm, and Cerúndolo gradually took the initiative. According to reports from the tournament, Sinner complained during the match of dizziness and weakness, and later he could no longer maintain the level of play from the first two sets. The Argentine tennis player took advantage of his opponent’s decline, prolonged the match, won the third set 7:5, and then in the fourth and fifth sets completely turned the course of the duel around.
A lead that turned into a dramatic defeat
The first two sets were marked by Sinner’s control. The Italian won the first set 6:3, and in the second he increased the pressure further and prevailed 6:2. During that period, it did not seem that Cerúndolo had enough room for a comeback. Sinner managed to neutralize his opponent’s attempt to build points from the baseline, and his early lead in the third set further strengthened the impression that this was the expected passage of the top seed.
However, best-of-five-set tennis often opens space for sudden changes, especially in conditions that physically burden the players. Cerúndolo did not surrender after falling behind 1:5 in the third set, but began to play more patiently and deeper, targeting longer rallies and forcing Sinner into additional movement. That approach became effective as the Italian lost energy. Each following game changed the atmosphere of the match: what had until then looked like a closing phase without great tension turned into a test of endurance and nerves.
The third set proved crucial. Cerúndolo made up a large deficit and won it 7:5, giving the match an entirely new direction. After that, Sinner looked increasingly exhausted, while the Argentine went into his shots with greater confidence. The fourth and fifth sets ended with the same score, 6:1 for Cerúndolo, showing how much the balance of power changed after the opening part of the match. According to available reports, Sinner did not blame only the Paris heat, but spoke about health difficulties and a feeling of weakness that followed him throughout the match.
The top seed’s physical decline and the Paris heat
Conditions in Paris on May 28 were demanding, and media reports from France state that play took place in great heat. Such circumstances are especially pronounced on clay, where rallies are often longer, movement is more demanding, and physical expenditure is greater than on faster surfaces. Roland-Garros is a tournament that rewards patience, tactical discipline and endurance, but at the same time punishes even the smallest drop in concentration or fitness. In Sinner’s case, the crisis came suddenly and at a moment when the match appeared to be under complete control.
According to The Guardian’s report, Sinner stated after the match that he felt ill, not merely exhausted because of the heat. Such a statement is important for understanding the match because the physical decline was not just the usual loss of energy in the closing phase of a long duel. In the second part of the match, it was visible that the Italian was moving with more difficulty, reacting more slowly to deep balls and less and less often able to impose the rhythm with which he had dominated at the beginning. Cerúndolo, on the other hand, continued to build points and did not try to shorten rallies at any cost, which helped him further.
In professional tennis, such moments often decide more than statistics themselves. A player who leads 2:0 in sets and has 5:1 in the third is usually in an extremely favorable position, but physical condition can change all the parameters of a match. Sinner’s crisis gave Cerúndolo the chance to take control, and the Argentine used it without hesitation. His comeback was not only the result of his opponent’s weakness, but also of his ability to remain calm enough when the match had already looked lost.
Cerúndolo achieved the biggest victory of his career
For Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, this victory has special significance. The Argentine tennis player, known as a player for whom clay naturally suits his game, achieved a result that will rank among the most important moments of his career. Defeating the world No. 1 at a Grand Slam tournament from two sets down and 1:5 down in the third set is an exceptionally rare feat. According to reports from American and international media, after the match Cerúndolo advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
Cerúndolo’s success is further emphasized by the fact that he opposed a player who came to the tournament as one of the main favorites for the title. Although Sinner’s physical decline was obvious, the Argentine cannot be denied credit for the way he remained present in the match. In moments when he could have accepted defeat, he continued to look for solutions. After he won the third set, the psychological balance also changed. Sinner could no longer bring it back to his side.
For Argentine tennis, this is another result that confirms the deep connection of its players with clay. Cerúndolo used the Roland-Garros conditions, which demand physical readiness, patience and willingness for long rallies. His triumph will not be remembered only because of the opponent’s name, but also because of the way it was earned. A comeback against the top seed, after an almost lost position, carries a tennis weight that goes beyond one passage into the next round.
What the defeat means for Sinner and the men’s draw
Sinner’s defeat significantly changes the picture of the men’s tournament in Paris. As the top seed and one of the main candidates for the title, the Italian was the central figure in the upper part of the draw. His early exit means that the path toward the final stages has opened for players who could have expected the toughest possible match precisely against him. According to reports from the tournament, the top seed’s elimination already in the second round is one of the biggest surprises of this year’s Roland-Garros.
The defeat also has a broader context for Sinner’s season. Roland-Garros is the Grand Slam at which he was trying to make an important step in his career, and the clay surface in Paris is often considered the most demanding test for players who dominate on faster surfaces. In recent seasons, Sinner has built a reputation as a player of exceptional stability, strong rhythm from the baseline and mental toughness in big matches. That is exactly why the manner of the defeat further surprised the tennis public: he did not lose after a continuous evenly matched battle, but after an almost certain lead.
According to an Olympics.com report, the defeat ended Sinner’s long winning streak and happened at a moment when he was very close to a routine victory. Such an outcome does not necessarily have to change his status at the top of men’s tennis in the long term, but it will raise questions about recovery, health condition and preparation for the continuation of the season. After Roland-Garros comes the transition to grass, and Wimbledon is a tournament at which a top result will again be expected from Sinner if he is fully ready.
Roland-Garros once again showed the unpredictability of clay
The clay in Paris is often the surface on which favorites have the hardest time getting through without crises. The ball bounces higher and slower, points are extended, and an advantage in power must be confirmed game after game. Sinner’s defeat is a reminder that even a large score advantage does not guarantee the end of a match until the final point has been played. In that context, Cerúndolo did what an outsider must do against a favorite: he stayed close enough to take advantage of a moment of weakness, and when it arrived, he turned it into a complete change in the match.
In professional sport, matches like this often become reference points for the entire tournament. They are remembered not only for the score, but for the narrative: the top seed leads 2:0 in sets, has a large lead in the third, then struggles physically, and the opponent takes the initiative and wins three sets in a row. For spectators it is a dramatic outcome, for the winner a career confirmation, and for the defeated player an unpleasant reminder that even the most stable game systems can fall apart in extreme circumstances.
For the organizers and the rest of the draw, this result means that the tournament continues without one of the main favorites. For Cerúndolo, it means an opportunity to continue the tournament on a big stage with a victory that can give him new confidence. For Sinner, meanwhile, comes a period of assessing his physical condition and adjusting plans. His Paris campaign ended earlier than expected, but the way it ended will remain one of the main stories of Roland-Garros 2026.
Sources:
- Roland-Garros – official data on the Jannik Sinner – Juan Manuel Cerúndolo match in the second round of the men’s singles (link)
- Olympics.com – report on Jannik Sinner’s defeat and Juan Manuel Cerúndolo’s comeback at Roland-Garros 2026 (link)
- The Guardian – report on Sinner’s statements after the match and physical difficulties in Paris (link)
- CBS Sports – report on the score, Cerúndolo’s status and the significance of the victory in the second round of the 2026 French Open (link)