How a Heatwave and a Stunning Upset Blew Open the 2026 French Open

Remarkably, despite the life-sapping conditions, the tournament's formal extreme weather policy was not activated during this period. The protocol, based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, can add 10-minute cooling breaks when the WBGT reaches 30.1°C (86°F) and suspend play when it hits 32.2°C (90°F)—a threshold that requires an approximate air temperature of 38°C (100°F) . Instead, the primary heat mitigation measure was the ability to close the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier .

A Cascade of Retirements and Withdrawals

The physical toll was immediate and staggering. During the first two days alone, six players retired mid-match as their bodies failed in the heat . The first major sign of trouble came from Canadian Gabriel Diallo, who retired from his match against James Duckworth and explicitly cited the heat as the primary reason . The trend continued with Elena-Gabriela Ruse retiring at 6-7(5), 1-2 against Magdalena Frech, and other players like Moyuka Uchijima, Alexandre Muller, and Cameron Norrie all forced to stop mid-match .

Even for those who finished, signs of distress were everywhere. Top players Andrey Rublev and Ignacio Buse both required trainer attention during their Monday match . The situation escalated into what was described as a "cascade" of withdrawals, with rising prospect Alexander Blockx also abruptly leaving the tournament . In total, 13 players withdrew before their opening matches across both singles draws, with one report noting a record nine first-round withdrawals attributed directly to the extreme heat .

Sinner's Catastrophic Collapse

The defining moment of the tournament's first week occurred on Thursday, May 28, on the kiln-like Court Philippe Chatrier. World No. 1 and overwhelming tournament favorite Jannik Sinner, riding a 30-match winning streak, faced unseeded Argentine Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, ranked No. 56 .

Sinner was in complete control, winning the first two sets 6-3, 6-2 and building a dominant 5-1 lead in the third. Victory, and a swift escape from the blistering 32°C (90°F) heat, seemed minutes away . Then, his body completely broke down. Severe cramping, triggered by the extreme conditions, began to immobilize him . His movement became labored, and he resorted to desperate serve-and-volley plays and drop shots simply to shorten points .

Sinner left the court mid-game at 5-4 in the third set for medical treatment, but he was never the same player. Cerúndolo seized the moment, winning the third set 7-5 and then racing through the final two sets 6-1, 6-1 to complete a seismic 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 comeback victory . It was a devastating end to Sinner's 30-match winning streak . After the match, Cerúndolo was gracious in victory, saying he felt sorry for Sinner and acknowledged that the world No. 1 was physically broken by the heat .

Djokovic and Players Demand Reform

The chaos sparked an immediate and powerful call for change from the locker room. Novak Djokovic, who advanced to the third round while chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, became the most prominent voice demanding reform. He expressed disbelief at the lack of a proper heat rule, stating, "I actually didn't realise there wasn't really a heat rule here" .

Djokovic's frustration was twofold. First, he criticized the existing protocol, which only offers the option to close the roof rather than suspend play entirely. Second, he argued for a fundamental scheduling change, urging organizers to push matches later in the day to avoid the dangerous peak afternoon heat, especially since the grounds have lights . His call was amplified after 19-year-old Jakub Mensik collapsed following a marathon match, with Mensik bluntly calling the conditions "insane" .

Other top players echoed the sentiment that the tournament had become a survival test. Elena Rybakina crashed out in the heat, saying, "the energy was not there" and noting the court surface had become dangerously slippery, disrupting her rhythm . Iga Swiatek, while acknowledging the unprecedented challenge, also noted the significant difference from the 2024 Olympics due to a change in the tennis balls used, which she said impacted how the heat affected play .

A Wide-Open Men's Draw

The most profound consequence of the heatwave is the complete reshaping of the men's tournament. Sinner's exit as the top seed and dominant force of the 2026 season removes the single largest obstacle from the bottom half of the draw . His collapse has transformed the tournament into a far more unpredictable event. With Sinner out, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and other top contenders suddenly face a much less obstructed path to the final, though they must first find a way to survive the broiling Paris heat that took down the world No. 1 .