Jannik Sinner’s grimace as he limped toward the bathroom told the story. With play halted in brutal heat, the two-time defending champion battled full-body cramps and flirted with a stunning upset. Yet he steadied himself, survived the elements and Eliot Spizzirri, and walked off believing his tournament nearly ended before it truly resumed.

At his post-match press conference at the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner was asked whether luck played a role in his win. He had made a similar comment last year after facing Holger Rune. 

Sinner responded by pointing to his preparation and work ethic. “I believe that I’m someone who tries to put tennis in the highest priority. And I know that I’m doing that for years now. In the back of my mind, I know how much I work. I feel well prepared, even if some problems could happen potentially on the court.”

He then reflected on the unpredictability of competition. “There are going to be days when you don’t find a way. It’s not that everything is going your way. But with a positive mindset, for sure, more positive things can happen.”

Sinner also explained how he manages pressure in difficult moments. “I try to stay calm even in a moment like this. If he keeps playing the way he was playing and maybe I was dropping a little bit, maybe my tournament was over today. I don’t know.”

Last year, Jannik Sinner looked uncomfortable on a hard court for the first time in more than a year. Illness and brutal Melbourne heat combined to test him. During his match against Holger Rune, the conditions slowly wore him down.

Three sets into that clash, Sinner was clearly struggling. He limped between points and shook as he sat during changeovers. His unforced errors began to mount. At 1–1 in the third set, facing two break points, he was in serious trouble.

Rune sensed the moment and raised his level. He refused to miss and dragged Sinner into long, punishing rallies. He moved him forward with drop shots and back with lobs, trying to break his legs and spirit. Still, Sinner fought through and reached the Melbourne quarterfinals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.

A similar story unfolded again this year. Sinner started strongly against Eliot Spizzirri and built a 4–2 lead. At first, he looked in control. But the heat soon took hold.

As the set wore on, Sinner unraveled. The conditions became suffocating, while Spizzirri stayed composed. By the end of the set, Sinner was visibly struggling between points. Spizzirri’s steady offense earned him a 6–4 set.

Sinner responded in the second set. After falling behind early, he recovered well enough to level the match at one set all. Still, his movement never looked free. His body appeared to be fighting him.

Early in the third set, the cramps hit hard. They spread through both legs and arms. Sinner could barely run and called for the trainer while trailing 1–2. His discomfort was clear to everyone watching.

The Australian Open’s heat rules are governed by the Heat Stress Scale. It rates conditions from 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “temperate playing conditions” and 5 leading to immediate suspension. As the scale reached 5, Spizzirri broke Sinner to go up 3–1. Play stopped, the roof closed, and Sinner limped to the bathroom. Under cooler conditions, he steadied himself, broke back, and gradually improved. 

He avoided sitting during changeovers, regained control, and secured his place in the round of 16, knowing luck played its part.

Jannik Sinner admits luck played a role in reaching the round of 16

Jannik Sinner emerged as the biggest winner on a brutal day at the Australian Open. Extreme heat forced play suspensions and prompted warnings to nearly 100,000 fans on site. While show-court matches continued under closed roofs, all outside courts were shut down because of unsafe conditions.

Spectators relied on mist tunnels, water stations, and sun umbrellas to stay cool around Melbourne Park. Ball kids adapted as well. They placed their hands on their feet instead of the court surface to avoid burning their palms while crouching near the net.

When Sinner and Eliot Spizzirri walked onto Rod Laver Arena at around 12:30 p.m., chair umpire Fergus Murphy reminded both players about the heat protocols. Officials remained on alert as conditions worsened rapidly throughout the afternoon.

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At 1:30 pm, the Heat Stress Scale registered 3.6. By 2:30 pm, it had climbed to level five. The reading tipped over from 4.9 just seconds after Sinner was broken. Play was soon interrupted as safety measures were enforced.

To reduce risk, tournament organizers had already acted early. Saturday’s schedule was moved forward by 30 minutes. Matches began at 10:30 am instead of the usual 11:00 start. British junior Hollie Smart was among the early starters and later retired from her first-round match after suffering cramps.

Defending women’s champion Madison Keys and fellow American Jessica Pegula both benefited from early scheduling. They completed their matches without major issues. Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 6-2 and described the conditions as “different but not crazy”.

“I think we’re all used to it. I think I would much rather have played first and hopefully won efficiently enough to kind of get out of that heat as quick as possible,” Pegula added. Her strategy reflected the mindset many players adopted that day.

After his match, Sinner admitted the heat took a toll. “I’ve struggled a bit physically today. I was lucky with the ‘heat rule’ and the roof closure.” He added, “I took my time, and as time went on, I felt better and better. I hope it can give me something heading into the next round.” 

With Luciano Darderi awaiting, Sinner moves forward knowing such struggles often sharpen his resolve.