‘I got lucky’ – Cramping Jannik Sinner drops set on way to Australian Open last 16

MELBOURNE – A misfiring and cramping Jannik Sinner admitted on Jan 24 that he “got lucky” after dropping a rare set, before taming American underdog Eliot Spizzirri in furnace-like heat to make the last 16 at the Australian Open.

The two-time defending champion was broken three times in the first set and six times in total, as he laboured to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory at Rod Laver Arena over a lung-bursting 3hr 45min.

His reward is a clash next with fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, the 22nd seed.

With temperatures climbing to a forecast 40 deg C, it was not the demolition job many predicted against a player ranked 85th, with Sinner struggling to acclimatise in the brutal conditions.

Draping himself in ice towels during the changeovers, he suffered a fright in the third set with severe cramp that needed treatment. Hobbling, he was saved only when play was halted due to the extreme heat and the stadium roof was closed.

It was the first time Sinner had dropped a set since the Vienna Open final in October 2025 against Alexander Zverev.

“It was hot today. I started to cramp a little bit in the third set,” the Italian said.

“And yeah, got lucky today. At the point when they closed the roof, it takes a little bit of time.

“I tried to loosen up a little bit. It helped. I changed a bit also the way of how I played certain points. That helped me today, for sure.”

Sinner has a history of cramping in hot conditions. He said he had no real explanation, but it could have something to do with not sleeping well.

“I feel like sometimes there are no real explanations. For example, last night I didn’t sleep the way I wanted to. The quality of sleep was not perfect. Maybe it was this, maybe not,” he said.

“Regardless, I try to be in the best possible shape every day. I know my body a little bit better now. I hope that it goes slowly away, which was the case today.”

The world No. 2 is striving to win the Melbourne Major three times in a row and join Novak Djokovic as the only men to do so in the Open era (since 1968).

Djokovic had a more straightforward win, beating Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), but was close to a possible disqualification after nearly hitting a ball girl with a ferocious smash out of anger.

The Serb also overcame an injury scare in the third set before sealing his win in the tiebreak and he will next face 16th-seeded Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic.

In another match, Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka bowed out of his final Australian Open, losing 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to American Taylor Fritz and soaking up warm applause as a much-loved former champion.

The 40-year-old, who made his Grand Slam breakthrough in Melbourne by winning the 2014 title before adding trophies at the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016, had announced that 2026 would be his farewell season.

“I’ve had so many emotions here the last 20 years because of you guys,” he told the crowd, who had roared him on throughout.

“It’s been an amazing journey. I won my first Grand Slam here and I always enjoy being back.

“I’ve always had so much support and the reason why I was still playing – it’s because of you, because of the love of the game, the emotion you can give me.”
AFP, REUTERS