The 2026 French Open is only two rounds old, but it has already delivered one of the most stunning upsets in recent tennis history. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was cruising toward the third round, leading Argentine Juan Manuel CerĂșndolo by two sets and a commanding 5-1 in the third. What seemed like a routine victory completely unraveled when Sinner suffered a sudden physical collapse, allowing CerĂșndolo to seize the opportunity and pull off a comeback victory.
What’s more interesting was that his older brother, Francisco CerĂșndolo, was also playing at the same time in his second-round matchup against Hugo Gaston, winning in four sets. After the match, Francisco talked about the mid-match distraction and a lighthearted sibling rivalry.
Francisco CerĂșndolo Reveals Crazy Mid-Match Moment Involving His Brother Juan Manuel and Jannik Sinner
Sinner was just one game away from winning when severe cramping and nausea set in. The Italian tried to shorten points by relying on drop shots and serve-and-volley tactics, but he was soon barely able to run, pausing the match for a while to discuss with the physio and rest. However, Juan Manuel took full advantage of the situation, breaking his serve multiple times to win 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
Sadly, physical issues have popped up for Sinner multiple times recently, and this heartbreaking exit ended his incredible 30-match winning streak. It also crushed his hopes of securing a Career Grand Slam this year, as the French Open remains the only major trophy missing from his collection.
At the same time, despite a rough opening set, the 25th-seeded Francisco also rallied to a victory on Court Simonne-Mathieu, closing out the match 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.
During his post-match interview, Francisco revealed a chaotic mid-match distraction involving his younger brother. The two have shared an amazing journey from growing up in Argentina to the professional tour, even making history in 2021 as the first brothers since the Zverevs to reach consecutive ATP finals. Naturally, their family travels to support both of them, which leads to a hilarious mix-up.
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â ESPN Tenis (@ESPNtenis) May 28, 2026
In the heat of his match against Gaston, Francisco noticed his player box was looking a little empty. When the interviewer asked whether he knew what exactly happened in his brother’s match, after Sinner became unwell, the 27-year-old said:Â “I had no f**king idea. I didn’t know if they were going to split up. I looked up there, and my family wasn’t there yet, you know. I said, ‘Hey, what happened?'”
He soon found out his family was watching his brother, who was battling an unwell Sinner. “So I asked and they were down like 2 sets to 1. Oh, I said, ‘well, good, fighting.”
As Sinner’s body began to fail again and Juan Manuel mounted his comeback in the third set, the crowd started keeping him updated. “And people were saying to me, ‘Your brother is winning, your brother is winning. And I said, ‘Stop, stop, please, don’t say anything else.’ I was still suffering through my match; I was, I don’t know, down 1, and it went into the fourth,'” Francisco explained.
SEE ALSO: Why Did Jannik Sinner Stop French Open Match Mid-Game? Brutal Conditions and Chair Umpire Exchange
In the next set, people were yelling to him, “Your brother won.” Rather than just being happy for his brother, the news turned into a hilariously sibling-pressure thing. “And I was saying, ‘Damn it, I have to win because I can’t fail now. So, it was all very crazy.”
While this was the biggest win of Juan Manuel’s career so far, Francisco has also defeated Sinner once at the 2023 Italian Open. Now that both brothers have advanced to the third round, Francisco, the 25th seed, will play unseeded American Zachary Svajda, while Juan will face Martin Landaluce of Spain.
Sinner, who had multiple physical collapses and illnesses mid-match during the 2026 Australian Open and the Italian Open before, will be focusing on his recovery heading into Wimbledon.
