Sinner entered Roland Garros in seemingly invincible form, carrying a historic streak that included all five ATP Masters 1000 titles this year.
With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz sidelined due to a wrist injury, the Italian appeared completely unchallenged on his quest to complete a career Grand Slam.
Instead, Court Philippe-Chatrier became the stage for a sporting tragedy for Sinner, and a career-defining triumph for Cerundolo, who fought back to win a five-set thriller 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
How Did it Happen?
For the first hour and a half, the match followed the script with Sinner firing on all cylinders, cruising to a two-set lead and rapidly pressing ahead to a 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 advantage.
He was one game away from a routine victory when the wheels catastrophically fell off. Serving for the match, Sinner hit an unexpected physical wall.
The Parisian heat began to take a visible toll and after dropping three consecutive games to let Cerundolo back into the third set at 5-4, Sinner called for an emergency medical timeout.
When Sinner returned to the court after a 10-minute medical evaluation, he was a shadow of his usual self. His first-serve percentage plummeted and his baseline depth vanished, allowing the Argentine to dictate play.
Cerundolo reeled off a staggering nine consecutive games on his way to an historic upset.
2026 French Open Winner Odds
Sinner’s departure has sent shock waves through bookmakers. The winner market has flipped entirely, heavily favouring the established veterans and clay-court specialists left in the draw.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev |
2.75 |
| Novak Djokovic |
4.50 |
| Casper Ruud |
7.00 |
| Rafael Jodar |
8.00 |
| Francsico Cerundolo |
21.00 |
| Alex De Minaur |
21.00 |
| Joao Fonseca |
21.00 |
| Flavio Cobolli |
26.00 |
| Ben Shelton |
26.00 |
| Jannik Sinner |
34.00 |
| Andrey Rublev |
34.00 |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas |
34.00 |
| Learner Tien |
34.00 |
| Felix Auger Aliassime |
51.00 |
| Luciano Darderi |
51.00 |
| Jakub Mensik |
81.00 |
| Tommy Paul |
81.00 |
| Arthur Rinderknech |
101.00 |
| Frances Tiafoe |
126.00 |
| Karen Khachanov |
126.00 |
| Matteo Berrettini |
126.00 |
The Contenders
Alexander Zverev has long been labeled the best active player without a Grand Slam title, having reached the French Open final in 2024. Having lost nine consecutive times to Sinner, this is his golden opportunity to finally claim his maiden Major.
At 39-years-old, skeptics wondered if Novak Djokovic was finally fading. The 24-time Grand Slam champion peaks at the Majors, and he hasn't failed to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals since 2009.
Casper Ruud is a perennial force in Paris, having finished as the runner-up in 2022 and 2023. Coming off a runner-up effort in Rome, Ruud’s heavy topspin and elite baseline endurance and clay court expertise makes him a title contender.