Jannik Sinner has been sensationally knocked out of the French Open after suffering from cramp when serving for the match during his second-round clash against Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
The world No 1 and hot favourite at Roland-Garros was struggling during the third set, losing 15 points in a row before calling for a medical timeout and treatment in the middle of a game. He had been 6-3 6-2 5-1 ahead and serving for the match.
Courtside mics also captured Sinner saying he felt dizzy and nauseous as he fell 0-40 down on serve. The Italian had moved 5-1 ahead in the third but proceeded to lose the next six games before and after treatment to lose the set 7-5.
Sinner was broken twice in the fourth set with his body continuing to fail him, before the final set saw Cerundolo break straight away and, barring some nervy moments, clinch the match, winning the decider 6-1.
Sinner was on a 30-match winning streak stretching back to February and he was an overwhelming favourite heading into the second Grand Slam of the season - especially with two-time reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz out due to an injured right wrist.
Sinner bent over on the clay court in apparent exhaustion multiple times and was hardly even running for shots as the match wore on, resorting to drop shots and serve-and-volley tactics to try and shorten the points.
He attempted to cool himself with a hand-held fan on changeovers and put bags of ice around his neck.
The temperature at the start of the match was 29 degrees and then rose to 32 degrees.
"I didn't feel very well on court," Sinner said afterwards. "I struggled, starting to feel very dizzy, very low on energy.
"I tried to serve it out but didn't have a lot of energy. In the fourth set, I let it go a little bit trying to have a bit more energy in the fifth. The first one was a very important game and I couldn't hold. Then it went a bit downwards.
"I woke up this morning, didn't feel very well and tried to keep the points very short. Also in the beginning I was hitting very clean, very good, and then I just kind of hit the wall, and that's it.
"The middle of the third set, even though I was playing some great tennis, but I really couldn't find any energy today.
"It was a tough spot to be in. But, again, this is the sport. It was warm but not crazy warm. I feel like it was quite okay to play. Really it was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me today, but it happens.
"I always try to look at the positive side. If you watch the whole clay swing, [it has gone] very well. I played really good, winning three tournaments in a row on clay.
"Coming here, also how I was playing tennis, I felt very well, hitting the ball in a good way, moving well and today was just not meant to be.
"I think many things together caused this problem today, but again, it can happen.
"I just need my time now to process what went wrong here and positives also that we can put in good practice weeks before Wimbledon."
On suggestions he had played too much in the lead-up to Roland Garros, Sinner said: "You don't know. I mean, if I don't play Madrid or if I don't play Rome, maybe I come here and I still have a day like this where you feel sick.
"So looking back, it's always very tough.
"I won three tournaments on clay. Incredible results. It's an amazing streak I've had. Of course, in the beginning of the year, this is my main goal here.
"A very early exit was not what I was looking for, but you also don't know if things would have changed if I would maybe skip Madrid and play only Rome or maybe skipping Rome and come here. You never know."
On the same Court Philippe-Chatrier, Sinner wasted three match points against Alcaraz in last year's final before losing the title match in a fifth-set tiebreaker.
Sinner also struggled in the heat at the Australian Open against Eliot Spizzirri in January. The roof was closed and the third-round match swung his way.
"It's tough for him. He was winning the match. I couldn't win more than three games [in any of the first two sets]," said Cerundolo.
"I think I was a little bit lucky, I feel sorry for him. He was serving to win this match, but then I don't know what happened. I think he was cramping maybe, or maybe it was the pressure of the match, I don't know.
"But of course I feel sorry for him and I hope he recovers. I'm super happy. I'm going to keep trying to play my best. I hope to be ready for the next match."
Elsewhere, French 17-year-old Moise Kouame became the fifth-youngest man to reach the third round of a Grand Slam, defeating Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 6-3 7-5 3-6 2-6 7-6 (10-8) in a gripping French Open clash lasting nearly five hours on Wednesday.
Kouame, ranked 318th in the world and playing in his first Grand Slam courtesy of a wildcard, displayed remarkable composure and resilience to claim the first five-set victory of his fledgling career.
Kouame is the fifth-youngest player to make it to the third round at Roland-Garros since the Open Era began in 1968. The youngest remains American Michael Chang, who achieved the feat aged 16 in 1988.
Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime's hopes are still alive after he came from a set down to defeat Roman Andres Burruchaga 4-6 6-0 7-5 6-1 but fifth seed Ben Shelton is out after losing 6-4 7-5 6-4 to Raphael Collignon of Belgium.
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