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Sinner: 'It's tough to accept'

Jannik Sinner broke down his difficult defeat in Paris, and looked ahead to Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner / Deuxième Tour - Simple Messieurs - Roland-Garros 2026
©Loic Wacziak / FFT
 - Chris Oddo

Jannik Sinner’s dream of winning his maiden Roland-Garros title – and completing the coveted career Grand Slam – evaporated on a balmy Thursday afternoon in Paris, the world-beating Italian suffering one of the biggest shock losses in recent Roland-Garros history, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo. 

After the loss, a dejected Sinner explained his difficulties to reporters, and mapped out his path forward after a devastating defeat. 

“I didn't feel very well on court, but it can happen,” the four-time major champion said. “I was in a good spot in the third set. I couldn't serve it out. Then I struggled quite a bit.”

Usually in Grand Slams you have a couple of days where you don't feel perfect. This was today

Sinner was quick to credit his opponent, the 56th-ranked southpaw who never relented as the Italian struggled physically in the final three sets of today’s three hour and 36-minute encounter. 

“Congrats to him,” he said. “I don't want to take anything away from him. He played a very solid match, especially in the end, and that's the sport.”

Sinner, who entered Thursday’s clash riding a career-best 30-match winning streak, says that a number of factors transpired to deplete his energy reserves during the match. 

“I think, in general, many things come together,” he said, after finishing his clay season with an 18-1 record. "There's not only one. I played a lot [in recent months] and didn't have a lot of time to recover.

“I felt this morning I didn't sleep very well. This morning when I woke up, I was struggling a bit, but you know, this can happen. Usually in Grand Slams you have a couple of days where you don't feel perfect. This was today.” 

Asked to specify on his physical ailments, Sinner said: 

“I struggled, starting to feel very dizzy. Very low of energy. Tried to serve it out, but didn't have a lot of energy. Fourth set, I let it go a little bit, trying to have a bit more energy in the fifth. It was a very important game, the first one [of the fifth set]. I couldn't hold. Then it went a bit downwards.” 

Wimbledon next 

Sinner said he will take some time to recover, both mentally and physically, before taking the court again. He told reporters he will probably not play on grass until Wimbledon. 

“It's tough to accept, of course, because of the position where I've been in and everything considered, but now I have a lot of time to recover. I won't play any tournament on grass before, most likely.

"Now I really need some time off, to recover completely, and also mentally, and then be ready to go again for Wimbledon."

Jannik Sinner / Deuxième tour - Roland-Garros 2026
©Nicolas Gouhier / FFT

Still positive, despite defeat  

Sinner says he’s not going to let today’s loss detract from his amazing achievements of the last three months. He became the first player to win six consecutive Masters 1000 titles, and in Rome he became the first Italian man to win the Italian Open title since Adriano Panatta in 1976. 

“I won three tournaments on clay,” he said, referring to titles in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome. “Incredible results. Amazing streak I've had. Of course, as I said, in the beginning of the year, this is my main goal [to win in Paris].”

"I always try to look at the positive side. If you watch the whole clay swing, I played very well."