From the very beginning of the French Open this year, an opportunity was reserved for whoever had the courage to take it. While the tournament’s perennial conqueror, Rafael Nadal, was absent, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz were drawn together in the top half. The bottom half, meanwhile, was wide open. Among the many contenders, Jannik Sinner, a youngster from South Tyrol in northern Italy, had a chance of producing the best fortnight of his career.
But expectations can be crippling. Faced with increased pressure, Sinner crumbled. He went out in the second round, falling in five sets to Daniel Altmaier, who was the world No 79 at the time.
