Baking on the clay: How players are feeling the heat in a French Open furnace

Jannik Sinner, the world No 1, was two sets up and serving for a place in the third round at the French Open when he began to fail physically in the extreme heat. He said he had been struggling with an illness, and the unprecedented Paris heatwave likely worsened his condition. Sinner lost to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in five sets, after becoming barely able to walk and uncompetitive in the second half. The defeat was a major upset, especially because Sinner entered the match on a 30-match winning streak and had been dominant on clay. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by a wrist injury, no one had consistently matched Sinner’s level, making the result especially shocking.

"Jannik Sinner, the world No 1, was leading by two sets and serving for a place in the third round of the French Open when it became clear he was in significant danger on the baking clay in Paris on Thursday afternoon. He was undoneat the only grand slam he has yet to win, not by the ingenuity of his opponent or even the immense pressure that comes with being the prohibitive favourite, but rather by his own body. The Italian who had not lost a match since February said he had been struggling with an illness."

"Despite waving away suggestions he had wilted in the high temperatures, the unprecedented heatwave in the first week here could not have helped his cause. He fell 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 to Juan Manuel Cerundolo before a stunned, packed audience on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the crowd veering between cowering from the sun and being astonished at the sight of a historic result unfolding. Sinner could barely walk and was completely uncompetitive in the second half of the match."

"His defeat represents one of the most shocking results in recent years. The 24-year-old had entered the court on a 30-match winning streak and this month became the only man other than Rafael Nadal, the greatest clay court player, to win all three clay court ATP Masters 1000 titles in the buildup to the French Open. In the absence of his great rival, Carlos Alcaraz, last year's champion who is sidelined indefinitely due to a right wrist injury and will also miss Wimbledon, no one has shown they can consistently match Sinner's level."

"However, Sinner is renowned for his frailty in the heat and the decision to schedule his match at midday led some to wonder whether he would be able to handle the conditions. When he began to fall apart physically, most people naturally assumed he was struggling with the heat. He insisted appearances were deceptive and that only illness was the sour"

Read at www.theguardian.com