Jannik Sinner’s incredible 30-match unbeaten streak ended on Thursday with an unexpected second-round exit at the French Open. With both Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s dominant shadows lifted from the draw, the men’s draw is now wide open. According to former world No. 1 and tennis analyst Andy Roddick, this places the weight of expectation on world No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
After Jannik Sinner’s Loss, Andy Roddick Believes Alexander Zverev Needs to Win French Open for Hall of Fame Status
Sinner’s match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo yesterday was as sudden as it was stunning. At first, against the world No. 56, the Italian looked to be cruising to a routine victory. He dominated early, taking the first two sets 6-3, 6-2, with a commanding 5-1 lead in the third.
However, a sudden physical drop-off started to slow Sinner down. He was heard saying to the umpire that he feels dizzy and wants to vomit. Sinner took a medical break and came back, but lost 15 consecutive points, visibly struggling before his serves. Meanwhile, Cerúndolo seized that opportunity and clawed his way back, stealing the third set 7-5 before winning the next two 6-1, 6-1, to pull off the upset of the tournament, and maybe the history of the sport.
Unfortunately for Sinner, mid-match illness is no longer an odd case. Earlier this year, at both the Australian Open and the Italian Open, he became unwell during crucial matches, with the same symptoms, raising serious questions about his health.
With the tournament favorite eliminated, Roddick took to his podcast “Served,” to analyze the massive implications for Zverev. Roddick believes that this is a definitive crossroads for the German star’s career.
“I know everyone’s going to jump on this Zverev train, and he’s going to feel equal parts opportunity and pressure, right? This is his moment. Maybe the first time, even though he’s had so much success, where he’s the favorite at this point in a Slam, or at least he thinks he’s the favorite.”
Of course, this is not to forget that a 39-year-old Novak Djokovic is also there, chasing his 25th Grand Slam.
The American went a step further, with an analytical question. Despite winning multiple Masters 1000 titles and an Olympic gold medal, Zverev’s lack of a Grand Slam title is a concern.
“If he doesn’t win a Slam, is he a Hall of Famer? I don’t know. It hasn’t worked that way with voting recently,” Roddick stated. “If he wins a Slam, there’s no question.”
The intense spotlight on Zverev is further magnified by his recent, highly scrutinized comments regarding the ATP Tour. Following his defeat to Sinner in Madrid, Zverev claimed there was a “big gap” between Sinner and the rest of the tour, while placing himself in a second tier alongside Djokovic and Alcaraz.
That drew criticism from former pros and analysts who pointed out the absurdity of grouping a player with zero major titles alongside Djokovic (24 Slams) and Alcaraz (7 Slams).
Facing backlash, Zverev clarified that his comments were strictly about his current form and availability, not about historical greatness. He added that he has to believe he can beat the best players. Because otherwise, the matches will end in lopsided losses.
After defeating Tomáš Macháč in three sets, Zverev will play his third-round matchup against Quentin Halys today.
