Defending champion Jannik Sinner passed a severe Australian Open test, battling cramps, heat, and Eliot Spizzirri inside Rod Laver Arena to reach the fourth round. With organizers advancing start times as temperatures neared 100.4°F, the Italian endured the physical strain and later credited the tournament’s heat rule for helping him survive the scare.

Speaking during his on-court post-match interview, Jannik Sinner admitted the conditions tested him heavily. 

“I’ve struggled a bit physically today. I was lucky with the ‘heat rule’ and the roof closure.” Sinner explained that the pause helped him reset. 

“I took my time, and as time went on, I felt better and better. I’m very happy with this performance. I hope it can give me something heading into the next round.” His relief was evident after surviving a difficult contest.

The Italian also described how severe the cramps became. “A lot of things went through my head when the cramps hit, which started in my legs and then moved to my arms.” The discomfort spread quickly and limited his movement.

“I had cramps pretty much everywhere, but that’s sport, and it’s an area I know I need to improve on. But I have a great team behind me pushing me in the right direction. I’m here to fight and to play every point as best I can.” Sinner emphasized long-term growth despite the scare.

The match reached a critical point in the third set. With the contest locked at one set apiece, Eliot Spizzirri broke serve to lead 3–1. Sinner was visibly struggling and barely able to move or serve effectively.

At around 2:30 pm, the Australian Open’s heat stress scale triggered a suspension. This came just as Sinner’s cramps intensified. Play on all outside courts was paused immediately.

Arena roofs were closed across Melbourne Park. Players left the court for a break of approximately ten minutes. The pause proved decisive for Sinner.

When play resumed, Sinner looked transformed. He broke back immediately and regained control. He began moving freely again and resembled the champion who has won the last two men’s singles titles at Melbourne Park.

The heat stress scale is calculated using radiant heat, humidity, air temperature, and wind speed. At level four, a single 10-minute break between sets is allowed. At level five, play is suspended, or roofs are closed.

At 2:36 pm, the Australian Open released an official statement. “The AO Heat Stress Scale is above 5.0,” it said. “Play is suspended for all matches and practice on outside courts. The roofs on RLA [Rod Laver Arena], MCA [Margaret Court Arena], and JCA [John Cain Arena] will close and remain closed for the remainder of the match. If onsite, please seek shade and apply cooling strategies.”

Even before cramping, Sinner looked unsettled. He dropped the opening set and relied heavily on ice packs during changeovers. He also used a personal air-conditioning unit while seated.

Earlier in the day, defending women’s champion Madison Keys defeated Karolina Plíšková 6–3, 6–3. She later said, “I was excited for the heat today. Being a Floridian, I was ready for it,” before adding, “Overall, I’m feeling really good and happy to have some clean matches.” 

And sadly, extreme heat, once again, remained a defining challenge at the Australian Open.

Outdoor play was suspended at the 2023 Australian Open because of the heat

Even before today’s heat issues at the Australian Open, a similar situation unfolded in 2023. That year, outdoor play was suspended when the AO Heat Stress Scale reached level five. Officials acted to protect players, staff, and spectators as conditions became unsafe.

In 2023, outdoor matches were halted at 4:50 pm local time. A tentative resumption was set for 5 pm, depending on conditions. Play continued only until the end of an even number of games or the completion of a tie-break. No new matches were called to the outside courts.

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Outdoor practice courts were also closed. Meanwhile, play continued on Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena under closed roofs. These measures ensured matches could proceed safely on the main show courts.

Under the tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy, the referee continuously reviewed weather conditions. Decisions on resuming outdoor play were made based on the heat stress scale. Once approved, players were given at least 30 minutes’ notice before returning to court.

A similar approach was taken again this year. Anticipating heat delays, officials moved Saturday’s start time forward by 30 minutes. The Bureau of Meteorology forecast temperatures to peak at 104°F around 5 pm, with rapid increases expected during the afternoon.

The temperature was also forecast to remain high into the evening, reaching 100.4°F at 8 pm. Just after midday, before Jannik Sinner’s third-round match against Eliot Spizzirri, temperatures sat at 89.6°F. By 1 pm., the heat stress scale had already climbed to 3.2.

An hour later, the scale exceeded level four. This triggered a mandatory 10-minute break between the third and fourth sets. Around 30 minutes later, it passed level five, leading to further intervention by officials.

American Jessica Pegula played one of the first matches of the day. She later said, “it was nice to be on first today. Obviously, not a super long match, so I didn’t have to kind of kill myself out in the heat today because I think it’s going to get pretty hot.”

Heat concerns were echoed by Alex De Minaur after his Friday night win over Frances Tiafoe. He said the heat “is going to be a lot.” He added, “Make sure you stay in the shade as much as you can, and, yeah, get ready for feeling uncomfortable. But sometimes that’s part of tennis and is one of the factors that play into this beautiful game that we have.” 

Officials now expect smaller crowds as extreme heat continues during the round of 32.