Jannik Sinner wilted in the heat in dramatic fashion as the world No 1 crashed out of the French Open under the searing Paris sun – despite sheltering in air conditioning during physio breaks mid-match.
Sinner was just four points from victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier, in complete control of his second-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, strolling through the first two sets 6-3, 6-2 and led 5-1 in the third, before the 32C conditions got the better of him once again.
The four-time Grand Slam champion suddenly lost 18 points in a row, during which he left the court at 5-4 to get assessed by medical staff after telling the physio he felt dizzy and said ‘I feel like I’m going to throw up’ after sitting on the advertising hoardings next to the court.
While off the court, umpire Aurelie Tourte informed Cerundolo that Sinner was having his blood pressure taken.
When he returned, he lost the the next three games to surrender the third set 7-5 and soon lost the fourth 6-1, during which Sinner was barely able to serve and, at times, looked as though he was trying to throw the set to save his energy for the decider.
By then, Sinner could barely move, was constantly clutching his leg and sat holding a handheld fan to his face before the final set but soon slumped to 3-0 down. He ultimately lost the fifth set 6-1.
Jannik Sinner was just four points from victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier against Juan Manuel Cerundolo before he began to suffer cramping
At one stage the Italian had to use a fan and cold towel to try to save himself from the heat
Sinner told the physio he felt dizzy and said ‘I feel like I’m going to throw up’
Sinner came into the match having won his last 30 matches and six Masters tournaments in a row but his troubles in the heat have long risen their heads.
The 24-year-old was saved by the heat rule at the Australian Open in January, where he was 3-1 down in the third set to Eliot Spizzirri, only for play to be suspended and allow Sinner a 10-minute break to cool down.
The decision to allow Sinner to leave court sparked furious debate over whether the world’s best player was being given special treatment.
‘This is unfair for Cerundolo,’ said four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier on the Tennis Channel. ‘This is not an injury. He should be getting penalised for this. It’s clearly cramping.
‘The rules are being bent for the top players. You cannot tell me you have to take him off court to see what his vital signs are like. This is absolute baloney.’
‘If you are being evaluated for an injury where you need a bit of privacy, if you’ve got a groin strain, you’ve got to remove articles of clothing, then you obviously go off the court, but in that scenario, when he’s been evaluated, I think to get 10 minutes in an air conditioned room,’ said TNT pundit Tim Henman. ‘Um, doesn’t seem quite right.
Many players have struggled to deal with the soaring temperatures in Paris
Opponent Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina celebrates after knocking out the world No 1
‘He is delaying play, and therefore, you’re going to get a warning, and if you’ve already had a warning for that, it can be loss of first serve, or it’s going to be a penalty point.
‘So the umpire shouldn’t be getting off her chair. It’s not her responsibility, that’s the player’s responsibility. I don’t see why he should get the benefit of going into an air conditioned room.’
Sinner’s escape in Melbourne was the second Australian Open in a row in which the conditions nearly toppled him.
He almost melted against Casper Ruud only for an 11-minute off-court medical timeout to help come to his rescue. He went on to win the tournament.
He retired at the Shanghai Masters last year due to severe cramps in the extreme heat and humidity. He wobbled against Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals in Rome a few weeks ago but came through and won that tournament too.
Henman added on commentary after the match: ‘It’s one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slams for many, many years. Two sets to one up, 5-1 in the third set, absolute cruise control. Sinner’s been beating everyone for months, hasn’t looked like losing, and then, what’s that, 18 of the next 20 games, Cerundolo takes? Phenomenal.’
