Jannik Sinner was one game away, then the Heat took over

Jannik Sinner’s dramatic loss at the French Open on Thursday quickly became about much more than tennis after the world number one physically collapsed in the extreme heat of Paris during a match he seemed certain to win.

Against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, Sinner seemed to be completely in control from the beginning.

The Italian took a 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 lead and was just one game away from victory when his body suddenly began to fail him.

Under temperatures that reportedly surpassed 33°C at Roland Garros, Sinner began battling cramps, dizziness and exhaustion.

Cameras repeatedly showed him leaning between the points, putting ice-cold towels around his neck and trying to cool himself with hand-held fans during changeovers.

At one point, Sinner admitted:

“I couldn’t move anymore. My legs were completely locked.”

The collapse surprised spectators because he had dominated the early stages with his usual relentless intensity from the bottom.

But as the heat intensified, his movement decreased drastically and Cerúndolo slowly took control of the match.

However, after the defeat, Sinner insisted that the issue was more complicated than simply fighting the weather.

“It wasn’t just the heat,” he explained. “I already felt bad this morning.”

He also revealed that he had been dealing with physical discomfort before taking the court.

“I was dizzy. I didn’t feel good physically,” Sinner said during his press conference.

Also read: Kouamé makes history with French Open victory over Cilic

Analysts pointed to Sinner’s brutal conditions and physically demanding playing style as the main contributing factors.

Their game relies heavily on explosive movements, long exchanges from the baseline and constant changes of direction, a combination that becomes increasingly difficult under intense heat stress and dehydration.

The loss also ended Sinner’s 30-game winning streak, making the collapse even more shocking within the tennis world.