Jannik Sinner started the 2026 French Open as the clear favourite as he arrived at the clay-court Grand Slam on the back of winning five ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in a row, but tennis great Henri Leconte says the Italian may have been “playing too much”.
Having won the Indian Wells Open, Miami Open, Monte Carlo Masters, Madrid Open and Italian Open in the space of two months, the world No 1 arrived at Roland Garros with a 29-match winning streak and took that to 30 with a comfortable three-set win over Clemente Tabur.
Facing Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round, Sinner was expected to comfortably beat the world No 56 and he was on course as he opened a 6-3, 6-2, 5-1, but the heat started to take its toll and he suffered one of the most dramatic collapses at majors.
Sinner – who took a medical timeout – won only two more games as the Argentine claimed a 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
Cerundolo admitted that he was “lucky” as he stated: “It’s tough for him. I couldn’t win more than three games in a set, so I was a little bit lucky. He deserved to win this match, and then I don’t know what happened. But I feel sorry for him and hope he recovers.”
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But former world No 5 Leconte – who finished runner-up at the 1988 French Open – believes Sinner has been playing too many matches in recent months.
“You know it is. It seems outrageous. Yes, but I think the problem is, he’s been playing so well but maybe playing too much,” the TNT pundit said. “So it just came at the French Open, with a little bit, no more, not enough energy, and that’s what happened today.
“It’s really hot, but you also have to say that Cerundolo played unbelievable at the end. Definitely. He was so solid, was so solid, but, of course, it’s a big surprise, and, uh, now we have an open door.”
Former British No 1 Tim Henman described it as “one of the biggest upsets” at majors.
“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,” he said. “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.”
*Henri Leconte and Tim Henman will feature as part of TNT Sports’ Roland-Garros coverage*
*Every match of Roland-Garros is live across TNT Sports and HBO Max*.
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