In a surprising twist at Roland-Garros, Jannik Sinner felt the absence of Carlos Alcaraz as a chance to secure his first French Open title. However, the tournament took a surprising turn for the 24-year-old player. Sinner faced one of the most significant upsets in recent tennis history during his second-round match on Thursday.

Sinner started strongly against No. 56-ranked Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, winning the first two sets with scores of 3-6 and 2-6. Despite the promising start, Sinner’s performance took an unexpected dip. He lost three consecutive sets, culminating in a 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 defeat.

Sinner’s struggle became apparent as he battled the heat during the match. His discomfort was particularly noticeable when he served for the match in the third set. He requested assistance after experiencing cramping issues. The conditions, at 84 degrees, seemed to affect Sinner’s capabilities.

Despite leading in the match, Sinner lost 18 of the next 20 games, marking the end of his journey at Roland-Garros. The loss also halted a personal 30-win streak dating back to February.

The French Open represented a critical opportunity for Sinner to complete the career Grand Slam. With Alcaraz, the second-ranked player in the world, sidelined due to injury, expectations for Sinner were high.

At one stage, after taking the first two sets, Sinner became a favorite among live bettors with odds of -100000. Yet, Cerúndolo’s performance overturned expectations.

Juan Manuel Cerúndolo now progresses to the third round, where he will confront either Martín Landaluce or Vít Kopřiva on Saturday.