French Open heatwave splits players as Sinner loses in five sets
The Story
World No.1 Jannik Sinner lost to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in five sets at the French Open on Thursday, citing illness rather than the heatwave as his cause of defeat. The tournament has seen afternoon temperatures between 32-35C, with players offering sharply different views on the difficulty of the conditions.
Key Facts
- Jannik Sinner, world No.1, lost 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in the second round on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
- Sinner entered the court on a 30-match winning streak and had won all three clay-court ATP Masters 1000 titles this month.
- He said he was struggling with an illness and insisted: “It was warm, but not crazy warm. It was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me.”
- The tournament uses wet bulb sensors to monitor temperature; a match can be suspended when it crosses 32.2C, but no match has been suspended due to heat at this event.
- Jakub Mensik, the 26th seed, described the conditions as “insane to play in” after collapsing with cramps and being escorted to the locker room in a wheelchair following his second-round win.
- Casper Ruud said he felt “dizzy and just really tired and walking around like a zombie almost” during his first-round match, before recovering in the fifth set.
- Ben Shelton noted that US players, many of whom live in Florida, have an advantage because they are “more used to dealing with” the heat.
- Naomi Osaka said she wished it could be hotter: “I kind of like it. I want them to turn it up a little bit.”
- Novak Djokovic incorrectly thought the tournament had no heat rules when asked about them.
Conflicting Reports
Players gave differing accounts of the heat’s impact. Sinner attributed his struggles solely to illness, while Jakub Mensik called the conditions “insane” and Casper Ruud reported dizziness. Ben Shelton and Naomi Osaka said they were accustomed to and comfortable with the heat.
Still Unclear
The specific nature of Sinner’s illness was not detailed in the source article. No matches have been suspended due to heat despite the wet-bulb threshold being in place.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Jannik Sinner – world No.1 tennis player, Italian
- Juan Manuel Cerúndolo – opponent who defeated Sinner
- Novak Djokovic – tennis player who was unsure about heat rules
- Jakub Mensik – 26th seed, described conditions as “insane”
- Casper Ruud – two-time French Open finalist, reported dizziness
- Ben Shelton – fifth seed, said US players are used to heat
- Naomi Osaka – four-time grand slam champion, said she likes the heat
Sources: The Guardian
