Juan Cerundolo dumps Jannik Sinner out of French Open, elder brother left stunned

Francisco Cerundolo was left stunned in Paris as news filtered through mid-match that his younger brother, Juan, had produced one of the biggest shocks of French Open 2026, knocking out world No.1 Jannik Sinner in a dramatic five-set thriller at Roland Garros.

Sinner, entering the tournament in dominant form after winning six ATP Masters 1000 titles in a row, started strongly and looked firmly in control, leading 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 and seemingly on course for a routine win. But Juan launched a remarkable comeback that shifted the momentum completely.

After three hours and 36 minutes, Juan completed the turnaround, winning 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1. While this drama played out, Francisco was competing on another court against Hugo Gaston. During his match, he began receiving constant updates from spectators and even his own team about his brother’s extraordinary comeback.

Confused at first, Francisco tried to block out the noise and stay focused, assuming the crowd’s reactions were premature or mistaken. However, as the result became clear, the disbelief grew harder to ignore.

People in the stands repeatedly shouted that his brother had already won, leaving Francisco trying to maintain concentration amid the unfolding chaos. He later admitted his shock, saying he struggled to process what he was hearing while still playing.

“After I won my match, I looked at my family and they were saying ‘two out of two.’ So I thought he had also won. During the match, people in the crowd kept telling me, ‘your brother won, your brother won,’ but I was just trying to stay focused on my own game,” Francisco said after the match.

'HARD WORK PAYING OFF'

Juan’s victory unfolded in extraordinary circumstances on Court Philippe-Chatrier Sinner’s physical condition deteriorated sharply in the Paris heat. Sinner struggled with dizziness, cramps, and low energy, requiring a medical timeout. Juan capitalised brilliantly on the situation. Staying composed under pressure, he extended rallies and forced errors from the struggling top seed.

Once Sinner’s level dropped, Juan surged ahead. Francisco said he was very happy for his brother, praising his hard work, daily effort, and strong season. He said beating Sinner, especially from two sets down, showed resilience and made the victory even more impressive.

“I’m really happy for him because I know how hard he works and how much he loves tennis. He puts in the effort every single day, and it’s great to see it paying off. He’s had a strong year, building on a good season last year as well, so he really deserved to reach the third round of a Grand Slam,” Francisco said.

Juan will next face Spain’s Martin Landaluce, who defeated the Czech Republic’s Vt Kopriva 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-0. This marks Juan’s first career Grand Slam third-round appearance, making his French Open 2026 run his best showing to date.