Ben Shelton and Jannik Sinner in frame. Image Credit: Instagram
Jannik Sinner Roland Garros Exit: Jannik Sinner had quite a rough time physically during his second-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo and eventually went down 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 on a hot Thursday. Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who would have been a major opponent for Sinner, was injured, while Novak Djokovic was still working on his top form. However, it was not only Sinner who faced a second-round exit in the French Open. Only four of the top 10 seeds remain in the competition, with Sinner, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Alexander Bublik bowing out of the competition. Meanwhile, Alcaraz, who was the second seed, was ruled out before the tournament began with an injury.
Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic appear to be the favourites to win the Men’s Singles at the French Open 2026. Zverev, who made the Roland Garros finals in 2024, will be eyeing his first Grand Slam title. The German player has won his first two games in the tournament in straight sets. Zverev defeated France’s Benjamin Bonzi in the first round before eclipsing the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac in the second round. He will face Frenchman Quentin Halys in the third round.
On the other hand, Djokovic is seeking a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title. The Serbian did not have the best start to the tournament losing the first set of his first round against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. However, the 39-year-old bounced back strongly to win the next three sets and proceed further. Djokovic then defeated Valentin Royer in four sets in the second round. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will now face Joao Fonseca in the third round.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur are the other two players remaining in the competition from the Top 10 seeds. With five losses in the first two rounds, it has been the worst French Open since 2024 for the top 10 seeds.
Juan Manuel Cerundolo tore up the script in a dramatic clash where he held his nerve even as last year’s runner-up Sinner crumbled while on the verge of a big win, sending shockwaves through Roland Garros. As the temperature climbed over the 30 degrees Celsius mark for the first time in the afternoon, Sinner had already breezed through the first set on the back of a solitary break, and the 24-year-old Italian looked to be in cruise mode. Cerundolo offered resistance towards the end of the second set, but the 56th-ranked Argentine was left with a mountain to climb after Sinner unleashed a huge forehand winner to double his lead in the match for the loss of only five games.
The four-time Grand Slam champion cooled off with an ice towel in the break and turned up the intensity on his unseeded opponent in the third set to go 5-1 ahead, before he began to struggle and halted play when serving at 5-4. Sinner returned five minutes later and was immediately broken for 5-5, and dropped the next two games to hand the set to his Argentine opponent, who sensed the chance to pull off a major upset.
Hitting heavier to quicken the points and also serving and volleying frequently, Sinner looked desperate to avoid the exit but his troubles only increased as he began to clutch his right thigh in the fourth set, which he surrendered tamely. Quickly losing control, Sinner was broken early in the decider, as Cerundolo took full advantage to leave the Paris Grand Slam without its title favourite and Djokovic with a golden opportunity to win a standalone 25th major.
Meanwhile, Ben Shelton became the latest player from the top 10 seeds to crash out of the French Open 2026. The American lost in straight sets to Belgium’s Raphael Collington. His loss opened up the French Open 2026 draw. The recent loss for top players could very well entice the likes of Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic as they search for their first and 25th Grand Slam titles, respectively.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
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