Chris Evert Says No. 1 Sinner Shouldn’t Have Left Court for French Open Cramp Timeout
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 28
Chris Evert Says No. 1 Sinner Shouldn’t Have Left Court for French Open Cramp Timeout
4 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 28
Chris Evert said Jannik Sinner "shouldn’t have been allowed" to leave the court during his French Open second-round loss, arguing his issue was cramping and dehydration rather than an injury.
Grand Slam rules bar medical timeouts for muscle cramping except during changeovers or set breaks, though doctors can intervene if symptoms suggest heat illness or another acute condition.
Sinner, 24, was not blamed by Evert; she said chair umpire Aurélie Tourte made the call after he reported he might vomit and asked what would happen if he took too much time.
Juan Manuel Cerundolo, ranked No. 56, still completed the upset after Sinner blew a two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage in the third, keeping the focus on rule enforcement rather than match outcome.
Jim Courier and other commentators said the episode reinforced a wider concern that top stars get more flexible interpretations, adding pressure on tennis to clarify medical-timeout boundaries.
After repeated controversies, should tennis just legalize medical timeouts for cramping?
When stars get special treatment, is tennis sacrificing fairness for viewership?