Open

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, herself a former women’s world number one, had regularly pointed to the possibility of short two-set matches as the reason for often overlooking the women.

“The match-ups are always interesting for both men and women, but there are multiple factors for us to make the choice,” Mauresmo said earlier on Monday.

“As you know, the potential length of the matches is something that we are also looking at.”

On picking Sabalenka against Osaka, she added: “It was obvious that it should be a night match tonight.”

There was a school of thought that Mauresmo might have looked elsewhere, though, had men’s world number one Jannik Sinner still been in the tournament.

Sinner would have been scheduled to play on the same day, but without him the men’s matches taking place on Monday lacked star power.

If Sabalenka against Osaka did not take place under the lights, then which women’s match would conceivably ever be picked?

With that came a sense of expectation.

If the match ended up being a dud, then it could have been used by critics as a stick to beat the women’s game with.

That, others argue, was a situation created by the French Open’s reluctance to showcase its female stars in the first place.

Was the burden which it placed on Sabalenka and Osaka to represent the women’s game fair?

“I don’t really care. There are so many different things to put pressure on myself – that was the last thing on my mind,” said Osaka.

“Shout out to the tournament for trusting us – I hope it was entertaining for people.”

When the two players met in Madrid in April, it was Osaka who won the opening set, and she started quickly once again, breaking Sabalenka in her opening service game.

However, it proved to be the only moment of uncertainty on serve for the top seed, who only conceded four points on her own delivery across the remainder of the first set and finished the match with 12 aces to Osaka’s two – and an 83% win rate behind her first serve.

Osaka, by contrast, invited pressure on herself, being taken to deuce after leading 40-15 in three first-set service games and landing just 53% of her first serves. Sabalenka routinely stepped inside the baseline to receive second serves and won 21 points from a possible 35.

Sabelenka’s canny shot selection also proved effective, winning 10 of her 11 points at the net and hitting five drop shots among her 39 winners as she avoided being drawn into endless baseline slog-fests.

She made the decisive break in the 11th game of the opening set before closing it out with a hold to love, and her relentless pressure told again in the second.

Osaka saved a break point in the fifth game but was broken to 15 in her next two service games, with Sabalenka converting match point with a trademark booming forehand.

She has flown early to the west coast of the US to be fully acclimatised for this week’s major, imbued with the confidence of her Ohio triumph.

And the key to that victory on 17 May was worked out by the player herself. She had been bemused by an uncharacteristically erratic performance on the greens while missing the cut at the Mizuho Americas Open earlier in the month.

“My putting was pretty poor and I’d been putting pretty good this year,” Woad said. “OK, it could be me, it is probably is me, but, I thought I’ll check the putter.

“The grip was just a tiny bit off, but obviously as golfers, we’re pretty specific. So it was bugging me a little bit. I got it regripped and then, yeah, all good.”

Woad beat a quality field, holding off South Korea’s Haeran Ryu to win by two shots, with major winners Miyu Yamashita and Ruoning Yin trailing in her wake.

The spectacularly in-form Nelly Korda and former world number one Lydia Ko shared eighth place.

“I think it was probably a more important win for me than the first one,” Woad said. “The first one [in Scotland last July] was obviously amazing, but it all happened so quickly.

“I had just turned pro right before that one and then went off and played loads of events. I didn’t really get time to reflect on it.

“I don’t know how many events I’ve played now, but a lot more events, playing each week, travelling each week. Seeing the competition, seeing how good everyone is.

“I think to win again, to get the second one was more important for me.”

Arne Slot says he is leaving Liverpool “exactly where it belongs: among Europe’s elite” after he was sacked as head coach on Saturday.

The Dutchman, 47, won the Premier League title in his first campaign but was dismissed by the club’s hierarchy after the Reds finished fifth in the league this season, 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

Liverpool will open formal talks with former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola this week over becoming their new head coach.

In an emotional open letter published in the Liverpool Echo, external, Slot said fans made him feel welcome from the start and helped him on his path. “That is something I cherish,” he added.

“I leave with complete confidence in what lies ahead.

“The players who have given so much to this club, who have upheld its values and helped create so many unforgettable moments, have built foundations that will endure.”

Despite suffering 20 defeats in all competitions, Slot secured Liverpool‘s place in next season’s Champions League.

“Securing Champions League football was an important responsibility and one that ensures Liverpool can continue competing at the highest level next season and beyond,” he added.

“Change is part of football, but I know that this club will continue to make its people proud.

“When I first stood beneath that sign in the Anfield tunnel, I knew what this club demanded. I leave knowing we never stopped striving for it.”

Amid the excitement of youth, world number three Zverev underlined his status as favourite for the men’s singles title with a clinical straight-set win over Jesper de Jong, which sent him through to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the sixth consecutive year.

The second seed, 29, has long been earmarked as a future Grand Slam champion but despite reaching finals at three of the four majors – and leading Carlos Alcaraz by two sets to one at the French Open in 2024 – he is still searching for his maiden title.

However, with world number one Jannik Sinner and Djokovic both eliminated in the first week, plus defending champion Alcaraz absent because of injury, the German’s route to the title has opened up.

De Jong, ranked more than 100 places below Zverev, went toe-to-toe with the heavy-hitting German in the opener, racing into a 3-0 lead and later leading 3-0 in the tie-break before Zverev reeled off seven consecutive points to take the set.

Zverev had to be patient in the second, waiting until the 10th game to convert one of only two break-point opportunities offered to him, but was too strong for his opponent in a 24-minute third set, completing a 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 6-1 win.

Relentless on serve in the final two sets, he conceded just six points across nine service games while also showing his formidable touch at the net, winning 29 of 38 points.

“It was a bit difficult in the beginning,” Zverev said on court. “I didn’t start strong and he started really fast. But once I found my rhythm, I was comfortable.

“My game is there. It’s about showing it on the match courts.”

Zverev is one of only three top-10 seeds left in the draw, one of just two players with experience of playing in a major final and is competing on a surface on which he has won nine of his 24 ATP titles.

Perhaps most crucially, while many of his rivals have battled through multiple five-set matches, he has won three of his four matches in straight sets.

Colombians headed to the polls to choose a new president in a high-stakes election that will determine whether the country continues the left-wing agenda launched by Gustavo Petro or shifts back to the political right.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has vowed not to shut down schools in Ituri province, despite the ongoing Ebola outbreak, which has already killed five schoolchildren since the epidemic began. The government announced the decision on Thursday, May 28, during a press briefing by the Minister of Public Health, Roger Kamba. 

Roger noted at the press briefing that the government’s focus is on enhancing preventive measures in schools rather than shutting them down. 

“We are not going to close schools. Our priority is to implement preventive measures to avoid further hardships for the children,” the Minister insisted. He expressed concern over the five schoolchildren who lost their lives, noting that many of these fatalities were related to self-medication and delays in accessing medical care.

Meanwhile, Congolese health officials had urged families to refrain from treating suspected cases at home and to seek medical help promptly. The officials warned amid heightened health monitoring in Ituri, where local authorities and partners are ramping up awareness campaigns to curb the spread of the virus.

The current outbreak spans three provinces: Ituri, South Kivu, and North Kivu, affecting 13 health zones. As of May 26, Ituri province reported 16 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 121 confirmed cases and 17 deaths. “We know the outbreak in the DR Congo is more extensive, with over 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths,” stated WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus.

Tedros had earlier warned that the current Ebola epidemic affecting parts of the DRC  is attributed to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, stressing that there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment available. While discussing the troubling elements contributing to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, Tedros said that, unlike earlier strains such as Zaire Ebola, which have effective medical solutions, the Bundibugyo strain poses a significant challenge due to the absence of preventive vaccines and effective treatments. 

The lack of medical options raises serious epidemiological concerns, with the WHO director reporting around 600 suspected cases and 139 fatalities. The numbers are likely to increase, as the virus may have been spreading undetected for some time. 

The virus has infiltrated multiple urban areas, and healthcare workers have also been impacted, increasing the risk of transmission nationwide. The situation is further complicated by regional security issues, particularly in Ituri province, which has faced significant violence since late 2025, displacing thousands of people. This area is a resource-rich mining zone with a highly mobile population, contributing to a heightened risk of virus spread.

Given the lack of validated treatments, however,  the WHO is investigating potential vaccines and therapeutics for widespread use. Tedros has called upon the international community to take action, stressing that the five identified risk factors, including population movement, transmission within health facilities, and urban expansion, could collectively worsen the epidemic’s impact on public health. 

This debate is nothing new – but nothing has changed.

In each of the past three years, questions have been raised about whether the French Open should do more to showcase the women’s game.

“I don’t think they have daughters, because I don’t think they want to treat their daughters like this,” said Jabeur.

The lack of action prompted recently appointed WTA chief executive Valerie Camillo to seek answers from French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo – a former women’s world number one – when they met at Roland Garros this week.

In what the WTA describes as an open and productive conversation, Camillo underlined her belief that women’s players have delivered some of the “most exciting and dynamic competition in global sport” over recent months and years.

It remains to be seen whether Camillo’s call for action is listened to.

Mauresmo has consistently argued that the danger of women’s matches going “really fast” is the justification behind the choices.

With tickets ranging from €60 to €280 (£50 to £240), tournament organisers think the possibility of a short two-set women’s match does not represent value for money.

Mauresmo has insisted the night sessions will not be extended to two matches – like the Australian Open and US Open – in fear of creating late finishes.

Will the French Open be swayed? It refused to waver last year, despite pressure from players, the women’s governing body and – according to reports, external – broadcasters.

Former world number one Osaka will meet Aryna Sabalenka – the current top women’s player – in the last 16 on Monday.

The Japanese player said she did not know if that blockbuster match would be under consideration for the night session, but added she felt the slot was reserved for “popcorn matches”.

If Osaka against Sabalenka does not fulfil the French Open’s criteria, it feels like nothing will.

“I hope it will change,” added Ostapenko.

“Even if it’s not me playing, I would like to see some women’s matches there. But I don’t know that we will.”

Defending champion Coco Gauff is the latest big name to exit the French Open after a third-round defeat by Anastasia Potapova.

In a match with multiple big swings of momentum, American fourth seed Gauff lost 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 to Austria’s Potapova.

The win over two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff means Potapova is into the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time.

Gauff follows men’s top seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in being knocked out in the first week in Paris.

The 22-year-old beat Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s final but came into Roland Garros having not won a title in 2026.

Potapova’s magnificent defence caused problems for Gauff throughout and the 25-year-old was seen clutching her shoulder after the match, following a number of bruising rallies.

“I’m cramping a little bit but it’s OK, it’s all good. I don’t have any words now, I’m extremely happy,” said Potapova.

“The fight we could show, both of us – Coco is such a champion and I respect her so much.

“I’m unbelievably proud of myself that I stayed there, that I was fighting until the last point.”

Potapova will play Russian 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya in the last 16 after her 6-3 0-6 6-2 victory over Camila Osorio.

Earlier on Saturday, American sixth seed Amanda Anisimova exited the tournament – losing to France’s Diane Parry.

May 29 (Asia Today) — South Korea and the United States will hold their first meeting in Seoul next week to discuss security issues agreed to at last year’s bilateral summit, including South Korea’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Friday the two sides will hold a launch meeting June 2-3 in Seoul for follow-up consultations on the security provisions of the joint fact sheet issued after the summit.

The meeting will come eight months after the two leaders announced agreements in the security section of the joint fact sheet in October.

The two sides are expected to discuss specific measures related to South Korea’s construction of nuclear-powered submarines, as well as expanded authority over uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.

With U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November, negotiations in individual areas are expected to gain momentum.

South Korea will send an interagency delegation led by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo. Officials from the presidential National Security Office, Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, Ministry of Climate and Energy, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and Nuclear Safety and Security Commission will also attend.

The U.S. delegation will be led by Allison Hooker, under secretary of state for political affairs. Officials from the White House National Security Council, State Department, Energy Department and War Department are expected to travel to Seoul for the talks.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260529010008720

Fonseca has long been touted as the next big thing, first garnering attention when he followed in the footsteps of Sinner and Alcaraz to win the 2024 ATP Next Gen finals – the end-of-season showpiece for players under the age of 21 – before bursting into the spotlight with his victory over Rublev in Melbourne barely a month later.

He clinched his maiden ATP title on the clay courts of Buenos Aires in February 2025 before reaching the third round on his French Open debut, where he lost to Britain’s Jack Draper. And wherever he went, a carnival of Brazilian flags followed.

Twelve months after making his bow in Paris as the world number 65, he returned as the 28th seed but, while there have been flashes of promise in that period – reaching the third round at Wimbledon, a second career title at last October’s Swiss Indoors, and a quarter-final at the Monte-Carlo Masters – there was a sense he hadn’t quite lived up to his precocious talent.

No more. At the sixth time of asking, Fonseca is through to the second week of a major.

He’s gone where no teenager has gone before in beating Djokovic at a Grand Slam, and is only the sixth to do so at any ATP Tour-level event.

He is the first player since Philipp Kohlschreiber, in 2009, to knock Djokovic out before the quarter-finals at the French Open and the first to do so at any Slam since the 2024 US Open.

“Joao Fonseca has definitely announced himself now,” Annabel Croft said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “He can proudly say he has lived up to the hype, because everyone was saying he hadn’t done much since the hype.

“When all the Brazilians and South Americans were running to the courts to watch him play a couple of years ago, now we know why.”

“It took time for him to find his feet, and the crowd was going to play such an important part if he could get them going, and it literally ended in fireworks,” added former French Open semi-finalist Jo Konta on TNT Sports.

“It was exactly the situation Joao needed to bring out that level of tennis.

“He just played one of the biggest matches we’ve seen for some time.”

Instead, he must now reset and recharge to go again at Wimbledon next month.

Given he is a seven-time champion on a grass surface which younger players have struggled to master, Djokovic will always fancy his chances at the All England Club.

Djokovic can never be ruled out of becoming the oldest major men’s singles champion in the Open Era, but Father Time has been sat waiting on his shoulder for a good while.

By rights, he should probably be basking in a post-retirement glow by now.

Coaching a young compatriot away from the public glare like Andy Murray, perhaps. Doing a promotional tour for a new Netflix documentary like Rafael Nadal, maybe.

While his long-time rivals move into the next phase of their lives, Djokovic was retching at the side of a court in an attempt to summon the energy to beat a teenager.

It is a testament to his superpower that he still wants to push himself to such limits against much younger opponents.

As we have seen time and time again, Djokovic’s insatiable appetite for the sport’s biggest prizes will never diminish.

But, having reached at least the semi-finals at the past five Grand Slams, this was the clearest sign yet that the ageing process was finally catching up with him.

Djokovic looked in complete control as he moved two sets ahead, but could not maintain his level as Fonseca proved he is the real deal.

“It would be nice if it was best-of-three,” Djokovic smiled.

“I just ran out of gas, to be honest. I didn’t feel good at all on the court in the next couple of sets.”

Djokovic has always thrived in the best-of-five format of the majors, beating almost anybody who has stood in his way for the best part of two years.

The only exceptions have been Sinner, Alcaraz and the muscle injury which forced him to quit against Zverev at last year’s Australian Open.

Everyone else has not been good enough, or not had the mentality, to see veteran Djokovic off.

Novak Djokovic’s wait for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title goes on after teenage star Joao Fonseca produced a stunning fightback to win a five-set epic in the French Open third round.

The Serb was the only player left in the draw who had won a major title and was arguably the favourite to go all the way after world number one Jannik Sinner lost on Thursday.

But after winning the first two sets, Djokovic was gradually overpowered by 19-year-old Fonseca, who hit back to force a decider.

In front of a raucous crowd, Fonseca battled back from 3-1 down in the fifth set to win 4-6 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-5 after a gruelling four hours and 53 minutes.

Fonseca is the first teenager to beat the Serb at a major – a testament to the coolness he showed under pressure against one of the game’s all-time greats.

It is only the third time in 22 appearances that Djokovic has failed to reach the second week at Roland Garros.

With Sinner out and Carlos Alcaraz skipping the clay-court major with injury, Djokovic will be left wondering if his best opportunity of winning that elusive 25th Grand Slam has been wrenched from his grasp.

Fonseca, who will face either two-time finalist Casper Ruud or American 24th seed Tommy Paul in round four, is joined in the second week by fellow 19-year-old Rafael Jodar, who has emerged as a genuine title contender after winning 18 of his 21 clay-court matches in 2026.

A GRAND new multi-million hotel is opening in Cornwall right by the beach and it will transport you straight to Italy.

Officially opening on June 15, The Nici in Newquay is “inspired by the sun-soaked glamour of the Amalfi Coast” and has the “indulgence of a Mediterranean escape”.

The clifftop heated pool is the star of the show, with amazing views over the ocean as well as a poolside bar.

But the hotel will also have a spa described as a “coastal cocoon” with a heated indoor pool, hot tub, an aromatherapy sauna, a steam room and a hydrotherapy suite.

A cinema room and kids club will also be on-site to both adults and kids occupied.

In the restaurant – aptly named Amalfi’s – guests will be able to enjoy Italian-inspired such as handmade pizzas and salads.

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A second restaurant is planned for 2027, called Tucker Rocks – a more casual dining spot meant to resemble a “clifftop Italian cafe” with live music and even a gelato counter.

And a unique feature at the hotel is the rare Victorian bathing lift that has been restored, so guests can get to Great Western Beach directly from the clifftop hotel.

Inside the hotel there will be 82 refurbished bedrooms and suites, some of which will have sea views.

Otherwise they will all be kitted out with the extras from Nespresso machines, Bluetooth speakers and fancy toiletries in the bathroom.

For those who like to keep fit, the hotel has a fully-equipped gym and fitness studios and juice bar for post-workout refreshments.

Guests can sign up to The Nici Club and get unlimited access to the spa, as well as exclusive events, too.

Rooms at The Nici Newquay cost from £155 per night.

The destination used to be called Hotel Victoria before The Nici took it over and spent £20 million on transforming it.

The hotel is just a five-minute walk from Newquay train station, as well as a five minute walk from Great Western Beach.

If you want to head to one of the most popular beaches in the area – Fistral Beach – then it is just a six minute walk away.

There’s plenty to do in the surrounding area as well, with the hotel just steps away from Great Western Beach – a golden cove which is great for both surfing and rock pooling.

And if you fancy a cheap £1.99 pint, right by the hotel is The Towan Blystra, a Wetherspoons pub.

The Nici Newquay isn’t the only one to open in June, as The Nici New Forest will also open on June 15.

Sitting at the edge of the New Forest in the historic town of Lymington, the hotel is “inspired by the laidback sophistication of the Hamptons”.

Around the hotel, guests can explore woodland trails as well as heading down to the beach.

The Nici already has one hotel open in Bournemouth, which Sun Reporter Catherine Bennion-Pedley recently stayed at.

She said: “Its chic-as interiors are super-Instagrammable – rooms are fresh white with bold, palm-print textiles and brass lighting, while ice-cream pastels, glitterballs and eye-catching artwork adorn the communal areas.

“But really, it’s the outdoor heated pool that steals the show.

“As well as the beautiful pool, there’s a dinky cinema showing four films each day and a petite playroom with table football, giant Jenga and board games.

“Some rooms come with hot tubs, while others have freestanding baths – bag one with a sea view and you’ll wake up thinking you’re in the South of France!”

A SPAWLING new bowling venue is set to open in a major UK city next week.

The 23,000 sq ft entertainment hub promises a range of late-night activities as well as a bar.

Lane7, a boutique bowling brand, will open the doors to its brand new venue in Trinity Leeds on June 2.

The sprawling entertainment hub will feature 12 bowling lanes, alongside a range of late-night gaming options.

This will include darts, pool tables, beer pong, shuffleboard and a retro gaming arcade, as well as a mini-golf area.

An on-site bar will also serve a range of cocktails, craft beers and casual food options.

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Open until 1am on Friday and Saturday, and 12am the rest of the week, the games hub can also host late-night outings, corporate events and group celebrations.

Gavin Hughes, managing director at Lane7, said: “There’s been so much excitement about our arrival since we announced we were coming to Trinity Leeds – it feels like the city has already embraced us.

“Leeds is known for its incredible nightlife and we’re sure the arrival of Lane7 will be a big boost for the city’s leisure scene.”

The brand, first launched in 2013, is known as a premium, adult-focused activity bar that aimed to “reinvent” traditional bowling alleys.

Lane7 now has 18 venues across the UK, with another three set to open alongside Leeds, in Belfast, Glasgow and York.

Bowling starts from £10.50 per game, with the option to select a multi-games package from £13.

“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” ― Coco Chanel

Apropos of Paris. Apropos of the French Open.

That’s all the context necessary to appreciate Naomi Osaka removing a ceremonial black skirt and sleeveless beaded bodice ahead of her opening match at the Roland-Garros Complex this week, revealing a sequined gold playing dress.

Osaka was playing all right. With sensibilities. With tradition. With her opponents, who she summarily dispatched with victories in the first and second rounds.

Naomi Osaka arrives on Court Suzanne-Lenglen to play her singles match against Laura Siegemund.

(THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)

And it was clear the four-time Grand Slam champion was playing with all of us when she said of her dress, “It’s very couture. You know the Eiffel Tower at night when it’s sparkly? I kind of think I look like that a little bit.”

Countless LinkedIn pages spout something about residing at the intersection of sport and fashion. Osaka locates that intersection at tennis tournaments worldwide, looks both ways and boldly steps into the street.

Last year at the U.S. Open she adorned her ponytail with red roses and attached a Labubu to her tennis bag that she named Billie Jean Bling.

At the Australian Open in January, she entered the court in a tie-dye turquoise and green palette with flowing tendrils. Her face was concealed by a veil, a wide-brim hat and a white parasol that she said was inspired by an image of a jellyfish that excited her 2-year-old daughter.

Naomi Osaka walking onto the court in a jellyfish-inspired ensemble ahead of her first-round match at the 2026 Australian Open in Melbourne.

(Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

It’s all great fun. Yet continued fashion statements depend on her performance on the court. Osaka wins, she earns another grand entrance. She loses, nobody cares what she wears on the ride home.

At the U.S. Open, Osaka shined, reaching the women’s singles semifinals. Seeded as an also-ran at No. 23, she upset Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova before falling in a tight three-set match to Amanda Anisimova.

Seeded No. 16 in Australia, she won two matches before withdrawing because of an abdominal injury suffered during her three-set victory against Sorana Cîrstea.

Fast forward to the French Open. Osaka advanced to the third round for the first time in seven years Thursday with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 win against Croatia’s Donna Vekic and will take on teenager Iva Jovic on Saturday.

What she will wear walking in is anybody’s guess. An effortless chic aesthetic courses through Paris. Advancing to the French Open round of 16 for the first time would require the opposite, Osaka toiling through another step in her return to form after giving birth to her daughter.

And creating another opportunity to have fun with fashion.

World number one Jannick Sinner beaten by 56th-ranked Argentinian opponent Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros.

Jannik ‌Sinner’s bid for a maiden French Open title and career Grand ⁠Slam went up ⁠in smoke as he experienced physical issues in his second-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo and fell to a 3-6 2-6 7-5 ⁠6-1 6-1 defeat.

Sinner arrived in Paris as the favourite for the title, having lifted claycourt titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid and ⁠Rome, with his main rival and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz ruled out with injury and Novak Djokovic searching for his best form.

But Cerundolo tore up the script in a dramatic clash on a scorching Thursday where he held his nerve even as last year’s runner-up ‌Sinner crumbled while on the verge of a big win, sending shockwaves through Roland Garros.

As the temperature climbed over the 30 degrees Celsius (86F) mark for the first time in the afternoon, Sinner had already breezed through the first set on the back of a solitary break, and the 24-year-old Italian looked to be in cruise mode.

Cerundolo offered resistance towards the end ⁠of the second set, but the 56th-ranked Argentinian was ⁠left with a mountain to climb after Sinner unleashed a huge forehand winner to double his lead in the match for the loss of only five games.

The four-time Grand Slam champion cooled ⁠off with an ice towel in the break and turned up the intensity on his unseeded opponent in the ⁠third set to go 5-1 ahead, before he ⁠began to struggle and halted play when serving at 5-4.

Sinner returned from an off-court medical timeout five minutes later and was immediately broken for 5-5, and dropped the next two games to hand ‌the set to his opponent, who sensed the chance to pull off a major upset.

Still not at his best, Sinner surrendered the fourth set ‌tamely ‌and was broken early in the decider, as Cerundolo took full advantage to leave the Grand Slam without its title favourite.

It is a bitterly disappointing way to exit the tournament for Sinner, whose favourite tag was enhanced further with defending champion and great rival Carlos Alcaraz missing with injury.

With 24-time Grand Slam-winner Novak Djokovic also nearing the end of his illustrious career, fitness was expected to be one of the biggest obstacles to Sinner’s bid for glory.

Paris has seen unseasonably hot weather, with temperatures topping 34C, and Sinner has struggled previously in extreme heat.

Sinner was also on a 30-match winning streak, having won five Masters 1000 titles in a row over the past three months on hard and clay courts.

He cramped badly in temperatures close to 40C at this year’s Australian Open, and admitted he “got lucky” when the heat rule was enforced in his third-round match against Eliot Spizzirri in Melbourne.

After opening his campaign against Clement Tabur in Tuesday’s cooler night session, Sinner was first on court against Cerundolo in a rare move by Roland Garros organisers.

The last time a men’s number one opened proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier before the semi-final stage was 10 years ago, when Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.

Although Sinner seemed to benefit initially from the early start, the physical issues that have hampered his display in previous matches in extreme heat resurfaced.

A NEW pool is set to open in Warwickshire – and it is on the site of some medieval ruins.

Located at Abbey Fields in Kenilworth, the new multi-million attraction will feature two indoor pools, a changing area and a “conservatory-style” cafe.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

One pool will be the main training pool, measuring 25-metres-long and will host most of the swimming lessons, lane swimming, family swimming sessions and aqua fitness classes.

The other pool will be more family-friendly and accessible measuring 15metres by eight metres and will also have a movable floor that reaches a depth of 1.8metres.

For some added family fun, this pool will also have interactive spray and splash features.

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And for disabled swimmers, there will be a ‘pool-pod’ lift to get into the pool as well.

Work at the site was set back six months after medieval ruins were discovered in 2023.

In total, at least five buildings were discovered as well as ceramics, both dating back to the 13th century.

The new pool will open to the public on July 11 and be open each Monday to Friday from 7am to 9pm, and 7am to 5pm at weekends.

As for the cafe, visitors will be able to grab a range of drinks, snacks and light meals as well as sit outdoors looking over the parkland.

According to the BBC, Councillor Jim Sinnott said: “Having recently been shown round the new building and having seen the fantastic features and spec, I really can’t wait to see the new pools finally open for all in our community to enjoy.”

Elsewhere, three-time former champion Novak Djokovic faced Frenchman Valentin Royer on Court Philippe Chatrier, which has a roof, and was on court for three hours and 44 minutes.

The 39-year-old Serb lost a tight third set on a tie-break but regrouped to win 6-3 6-2 6-7 (7-9) 6-3.

In his post-match press conference, Djokovic suggested scheduling matches at Grand Slams later in the evening could be “something to consider” as a potential alternative if extreme conditions are expected.

French Open organisers monitor the temperature through two wet bulb sensors – one on Chatrier and another on Court 14.

If the threshold is reached, a 10-minute break may be introduced after the second set of women’s matches and the third set of men’s matches.

If temperatures continue to rise, matches can be suspended until the heat drops.

No French Open match has ever been halted because of extreme heat.

Women’s 15th seed Marta Kostyuk said the conditions so far this week are not quite as bad as those she experienced when playing at the same venue for the Olympics in 2024, but added: “It’s still hot and it’s very dry. I always felt like I need to drink, I want to drink more and more. It was tough.”

On Monday, former finalist Casper Ruud said he felt he was “walking around like a zombie” and feared he had heat stroke after struggling with cramping in 33C temperatures.

One player who escaped the worst of the conditions on Wednesday was men’s second seed Alexander Zverev, who played in the night session when temperatures had dropped to about 18C.

A runner-up at Roland Garros in 2024, Zverev continued his bid for a maiden Grand Slam with a dominant display to beat Czech player Tomas Machac 6-4 6-2 6-2 in one hour and 48 minutes.

World number two Elena Rybakina suffered a surprise second-round defeat by world number 55 Yuliia Starodubtseva in the biggest French Open upset so far.

Despite winning the opening set, Rybakina looked far from her clinical best as Starodubtseva mounted an impressive comeback to win 3-6 6-1 7-6 (10-4).

Known for her big serve and precise hitting, reigning Australian Open champion Rybakina committed 71 unforced errors and landed just 53% of her first serves.

It is the first time Kazakhstan’s Rybakina has failed to reach the third round at Roland Garros since 2020.

Rybakina’s early exit also means Aryna Sabalenka will keep her world number one ranking regardless of her result at Roland Garros.