Jannik Sinner is out of Roland Garros after losing in five sets to Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
The Italian was closing in on a victory after going up two sets to love and 5-1 in the third, but began to struggle with the hot Parisian conditions.
Sinner took a medical timeout before attempting to finish the match off, but Cerundolo forced him to a fifth set and ultimately completed the upset.
Who is your dark horse for the Roland Garros title this year?
The Argentine became the lowest-ranked player to defeat a world number one Roland Garros since Ramon Delgado (#97) in 1998, who beat Pete Sampras that year.
It was a huge result for Cerundolo, but one that former British player Tim Henman could not get his head around.
Tim Henman reacts after Jannik Sinner crashes out in Paris
Speaking on TNT Sports, Henman said: “It was so strange. The first two sets were some good tennis but an hour and a half.
“By the time he was up 5-1 in the third, I don’t know exactly, but it can’t be much more than two hours.
“Yes, it’s hot, but it’s not that hot. That’s what’s so surprising. When he was in total control, there was a problem.
“You played one of Madrid and Rome, I think. But that is easy [to say] in hindsight. We are talking a lot about the fatigue of Sinner but the way Cerundolo stayed in rallies when he was under pressure.
“He used that moon ball to give himself time to make Sinner play again, and when he got the opportunities, he was using that lefty forehand short cross, and you can tell by Sinner’s reaction he was out on his feet.”
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Sinner’s loss means his and Carlos Alcaraz‘s streak at Grand Slams will officially come to an end.
Since Novak Djokovic’s triumph at the 2023 US Open, Sinner and Alcaraz have split the last nine major titles between them.
Now, however, with Alcaraz’s withdrawal and Sinner’s defeat, an opportunity has presented itself to the rest of the pack.
World number three Alexander Zverev is now in pole position to claim his first major, while Djokovic will also have a golden chance at number 25, with the Serb set to face Joao Fonseca next.
What do you think the score will be?
Who wins and in how many sets?
Both of those stars are in the bottom half of the draw, though, and the top half, which once included Sinner, has been blown wide open.
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