Why does former World No 1 Boris Becker believe Jannik Sinner has a “mental problem” following his French Open collapse?

Jannik Sinner suffered one of the most shocking defeats of his career at the 2026 French Open after losing to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. The Italian star looked fully in control early in the match. He won the first two sets comfortably and was only a few points away from victory in the third set. However, the World No. 1 suddenly lost momentum under the intense Paris heat and eventually crashed out in five sets.

Former tennis legend Boris Becker believes the defeat was not only caused by physical problems. Becker suggested that "mental" pressure also played a major role in Sinner’s collapse. The German great pointed to Sinner’s poor sleep, emotional pressure, and exhausting schedule as possible reasons behind the dramatic turnaround. Sinner later admitted he had struggled physically during the match, but Becker feels the issue went much deeper than illness or weather conditions alone.

Boris Becker questions Jannik Sinner’s mental strength after dramatic French Open defeat

Boris Becker said he found it difficult to believe that the collapse was purely physical. According to him, Jannik Sinner may have been mentally exhausted after months of constant competition and expectations. The former Wimbledon champion explained that when players overthink or feel too much pressure, it can affect sleep, concentration, and performance on court.

He also described the defeat as one of the biggest surprises or 'upsets' seen at a Grand Slam in recent years. Becker noted that Sinner had entered Roland Garros in incredible form after winning titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. Because of that dominance, many fans believed he was almost unbeatable heading into Paris.

Becker further stated that long and intense matches at major tournaments have sometimes exposed weaknesses in Sinner’s game. He suggested that difficult weather conditions and physical tiredness may have increased the pressure during the match against Cerundolo. The German added that Sinner had been travelling and competing continuously since March, which may have finally caught up with him.

Despite the painful loss, Becker praised Sinner for taking responsibility instead of blaming external conditions. He felt the Italian simply ran out of energy after weeks of maintaining an extremely high level. Becker concluded that even the best players can experience difficult days after carrying heavy mental and physical demands for a long period.




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