Boris Becker has suggested Jannik Sinner's stunning French Open collapse was caused by mental pressure rather than physical problems after the world No 1 crashed out of Roland Garros in extraordinary fashion.
Sinner arrived in Paris as the overwhelming favourite to lift the title following a dominant run that had seen him win five consecutive tournaments and put together a remarkable 30-match winning streak.
But the Italian's quest for a maiden French Open crown came to a dramatic halt when he squandered a commanding lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in one of the biggest shocks the tournament has witnessed in recent years.
The four-time Grand Slam champion appeared to be cruising into the third round after taking the opening two sets and moving within touching distance of victory in the third.
At one stage, Sinner held a 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 advantage and was just four points away from sealing his place in the next round.
Instead, the match turned on its head.
Playing in temperatures that climbed above 30 degrees Celsius in Paris, Sinner's level suddenly collapsed.
After briefly leaving the court during the contest, he lost 18 of the following 20 games as Cerundolo completed a stunning five-set comeback.
Boris Becker has suggested Jannik Sinner's stunning French Open collapse was caused by mental pressure rather than physical problems after the world No 1 crashed out of Roland Garros in extraordinary fashion | GETTY
Jannik Sinner struggled in the heat as his French Open dream ended on Thursday
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Speaking afterwards, Sinner rejected suggestions that the heat alone was responsible for his downfall, admitting he had been struggling with illness and had effectively "hit the wall" during the match.
Becker, however, believes there was more at play.
"For me, this can't be physical, it has to be mental," the six-time Grand Slam winner said.
"We don't know what's going on inside him. How much pressure is he putting on himself? He said he slept badly. When you're overthinking and nervous, it's hard to get any sleep."
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French Open winners since 2000 | GETTY/GB NEWSThe German tennis legend admitted he was stunned by the scale of the collapse, particularly given Sinner's recent dominance on the ATP Tour.
"This is the biggest sensation at Grand Slam tournaments in recent years," Becker added.
"Jannik Sinner was considered unbeatable. Then today he served for the match twice and still couldn't close it out.
"Especially when matches at the majors go the full distance or things get intense, he often runs into physical, and perhaps even mental, difficulties."
Becker also pointed towards Sinner's relentless schedule as a possible contributing factor.
The Italian has spent months travelling across the globe while competing deep into tournaments in California, Florida, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
According to Becker, even elite athletes eventually reach a breaking point.
"You just have to do the maths," he said.
Juan Manuel Cerundolo will be dreaming of French Open glory following his win over Jannik Sinner
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"At some point this guy is simply drained. He's human and just had a bad day.
"He was just empty. This was the one match too many. That can happen to anyone."
The dramatic defeat has also transformed the outlook of the men's draw.
With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz already absent because of injury, Sinner's exit means this will be the first Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open not to feature either of the sport's two dominant young stars in the final.
That development could hand a significant boost to Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic famously triumphed at the 2023 US Open, and Sinner's unexpected departure has suddenly opened up a path that looked considerably more complicated only a few days ago.