Sinner’s French Open upset throws men’s draw wide open

The 2026 French Open has been thrown into turmoil by a punishing European heatwave, with six players forced to retire mid-match and 13 withdrawing before play began during the tournament's opening days at Roland Garros. The disruption reached a peak on Thursday when world No. 1 Jannik Sinner fell to Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in the second round, ending his 30-match winning streak in a shock upset widely attributed to the brutal conditions.nytimes+1

Sinner Stunned as Heat Takes Its Toll

Sinner, who entered the tournament as the overwhelming favorite to complete a career Grand Slam, lost to the world No. 56 Cerúndolo after coming within four points of victory. The Italian, who has a well-documented vulnerability to extreme heat dating back to a suspended match at the Australian Open in January, abruptly stopped play during the contest to consult with the umpire and receive treatment from the physio before ultimately falling. The defeat threw the men's draw wide open just five days into the tournament.puntodebreak+1

Players Demand Schedule Changes

Novak Djokovic called for immediate changes to the tournament's heat protocol following his second-round match on Wednesday. The 24-time Grand Slam champion proposed either suspending play during peak daytime hours — as the Australian Open does — or scheduling matches later in the evening when temperatures drop.express+1

Temperatures have soared to 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) since the tournament began on Sunday, far beyond normal levels for late May in Paris. Four-time champion Iga Swiatek noted the conditions were unlike anything she had previously experienced at the venue outside of the 2024 Olympics, which were held in July and August. Daria Kasatkina was more blunt: "I don't remember the last time it was so hot at Roland Garros. Maybe one day. But we're going to have it for the whole week."espn

Retirements and Withdrawals Mount

The six mid-match retirements during the first round included Gabriel Diallo, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Moyuka Uchijima, Alexandre Muller, Cameron Norrie, and Sebastian Baez. Diallo told ESPN the heat was the primary reason he could not continue. A ball girl also had to be helped off court during Andrey Rublev's match on Monday after appearing to struggle in the conditions.tennis365+1

Before play even began, 12 players withdrew from the singles draws, including two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Lorenzo Musetti, and Jack Draper. Forecasts suggest the heatwave will persist through much of the first week, with temperatures expected to ease only by the weekend.frontofficesports+1