Was Jannik Sinner's Shocking French Open Loss Among the Biggest Tennis Upsets Ever?
How bad was tennis superstar Jannik Sinner's loss at the French Open on May 28? The resounding defeat, by the 56th ranked tennis player in the world, was so bad that one major publication questioned whether it was the worst tennis upset of all time.
The Guardian decided that, minimally, it belonged in that conversation. "Sinner crashes out," The Guardian's headline read, writing that he was "wilting" in the heat. It was more than 91 degrees at the French Open. Sinner lost to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
"Was Jannik Sinner's loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo the biggest upset in tennis history?" wonders Kurt Perleberg," The Guardian wrote. The author responded, "Not in mine, partly because of how it happened, though from 6-3 6-2 5-1, I'm not sure there's been a more surprising comeback. But I'm still going for Doohan against Becker." Here's a list of the biggest tennis upsets in history; Novak Djokovic lost in the second round of a tournament once too.
Fans noted the shocking second-round collapse. "Can anyone explain what happened to Jannik Sinner? This will go down in history," wrote one.
Fans Offered Harsh Assessments of Jannik Sinner's French Open Performance
Fans had harsh reactions to the Italian tennis pro's big loss, although the man he defeated was more gracious.
"It's tough for him," Cerúndolo said of Sinner, according to The Guardian. "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."
Fans weren't as kind. "If Jannik Sinner can't improve his physical stamina, then he's never touching any of the big 3," wrote one.
"I can't believe Jannik Sinner lost today and I just scrolled past it," lamented another.
The official Roland-Garros account wrote, "A real earthquake has taken place on Philippe-Chatrier! Victim of a physical breakdown, Jannik Sinner has crumbled against Juan Manuel Cerundolo."
What Happened to Jannik Sinner at the French Open?
Sinner, in his post-match comments, mentioned his heavy playing schedule, according to BBC.
"You don't know. I mean, if I don't play Madrid or if I don't play Rome, maybe I come here and I still have a day like this where you feel sick," he said. "So looking back, it's always very tough. I won three tournaments on clay. Incredible results. It's an amazing streak I've had. Of course, in the beginning of the year, this is my main goal here."
Added Sinner, according to BBC: "A very early exit was not what I was looking for, but you also don't know if things would have changed if I would maybe skip Madrid and play only Rome or maybe skipping Rome and come here. You never know."
He also said he wasn't feeling well. "I struggled and started to feel very dizzy, very low on energy. I tried to serve it out but didn't have a lot of energy. In the fourth set, I let it go a little bit trying to have a bit more energy in the fifth. The first one was a very important game and I couldn't hold. Then it went a bit downwards," he said, according to BBC.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM.