Jannik Sinner, battling cramps in his arms and legs, was struggling after losing a break in the third set when the extreme heat rules came to his aid at the Australian Open.
Play was paused briefly while the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed on Saturday afternoon, and the two-time defending champion returned rejuvenated.
Seemingly on the brink of an unexpected exit—his coach, Darren Cahill, was encouraging the 24-year-old Italian to endure for a few more games—Sinner went on to win five of the next six games, securing the set against No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri.
A 10-minute “cooling break” implemented under the extreme heat rules was followed by Sinner’s 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 third-round victory, showcasing a remarkable shift from intense sunlight to shade.
“I faced physical challenges today. I got fortunate with the heat rule,” Sinner remarked, noting that the cooler indoor conditions were much more beneficial than the draining heat of the first two sets. “As time went on, I felt increasingly better.”
Recalling the moment when he was down 3-1 in the third set, having lost as many service games in this match as he did during the entire 2025 tournament, the No. 2-seeded Sinner mentioned he was just trying to hold on until a longer break.
“It started with my legs and moved to my arms. I was cramping all over,” he noted. “That’s part of the sport. I recognize this is an area where I need improvement.”
“Tennis is very much a mental game. I focused on staying as composed as possible. I’m here to fight and play every point to the best of my ability.”
Eliot Spizzirri, a 24-year-old American making his debut in the Australian Open main draw, had never won three consecutive matches on the elite tour. yet, he converted six out of 16 breakpoints against Sinner, marking the most serves taken off the Italian since his 2024 final against Daniil Medvedev.
In the second set, Sinner received a rare time violation from umpire Fergus Murphy while preparing to serve, but Spizzirri displayed sportsmanship by approaching the umpire to explain he hadn’t been ready to receive.
The crowd was in Spizzirri’s favor until Sinner’s movement became noticeably affected.
yet, as the glare diminished, the temperature dropped in the third and fourth sets, leading Sinner to reclaim his confidence.
He will face fellow Italian Luciano Darderi next, who defeated No. 15 Karen Khachanov 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Three Italian players advanced to the round of 16, including No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti who triumphed over Tomas Machac 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in a match on John Cain Arena that also required a brief pause to close the roof in the final set.
No. 8 Ben Shelton defeated Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (5) on Margaret Court Arena and was pleased that the roof was closed before he even entered the court.
“Having the roof closed today amplified the crowd’s energy,” Shelton shared. “If it had been open, I’m not sure I could have lasted.”
Advising the crowd to stay cool, he added: “I’m not finished yet. I hope everyone returns in two days because I still have plenty to show.”
Play on the outside courts was halted for at least three hours in the early afternoon due to the extreme heat regulations at the Australian Open.
The temperature reached around 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) when the extreme heat policy was enacted, with the tournament’s heat scale hitting a maximum of 5. The forecast indicated a peak temperature of 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
The night session on Rod Laver Arena featured 10-time champion Novak Djokovic as he sought a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, facing Botic Van De Zandschulp in the first evening match.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
