By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, January 24, 2026
Photo credit: Phil Walter/Getty
Leaning on his Head racquet as if it were a cane, a hobbled Jannik Sinner was haunted by scalding heat and searing strikes from Eliot Spizzirri.
Sinner was staggered but steadied his shaking legs and cramping left arm to survive and advance at the Australian Open.
The closure of the roof over Rod Laver Arena provided a reprieve and sparked Sinner to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Spizzirri on a searing day that saw on-court temperatures reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit nearly roasting Sinner’s title defense in the process.
It was a punishing and historic win for Sinner, who became the first Italian man to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open five times.
It was Sinner’s 17th straight win in Melbourne Park and a banner day for three-time Davis Cup champion Italy which sent three Italian men into the AO round of 16 for the first time.
No. 5-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti fought off Tomas Machac 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 on John Cain Arena and compatriot Luciano Darderi defeated 15th-seeded Karen Khachanov 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Kia Arena.
Two-time defending champion Sinner looked down and out at one point, but the brutal conditions actually worked to his aid in the end.
“He’s an incredible player, I think you know he played really, really well today,” Sinner said of Spizzirri. “I wish him only the best. I’m sure he’s gonna do a great, great season this year.
“I struggled physically a bit today. We saw this. I got lucky with the heat rule, you know they closed the roof. I took my time and as the time passed I felt better and better. Very happy about this performance…Hopefully this can give me some positive for the next round starting with a good mentality and then we see what’s coming.”
The Heat Stress Index rule which prompted the closure of the retractable roof over Rod Laver Arena—and Sinner shrewdly using every single second of the service clock—saved the two-time champion from suffering one of the most massive upsets in AO Open Era history.
Credit world No. 85 Spizzirri for outplaying Sinner for stretches of this match—and looking physically fitter for much of a punishing test—but the American’s edge came off a bit in the fourth set, he lost the range on his first serve and the champion exploited it.
Facing a Top 10 opponent for the first time in his life, Spizzirri stood toe-to-toe with the world No. 2 throughout the opening set.
The pride of Greenwich, Connecticut cracked three consecutive backhand strikes breaking for 5-4. Spizzirri served out the opening set at love then left the court.
The man in the mustard shirt lacked his typical explosive moment throughout the opening two sets. Sinner was looking more physically frail yet dug down to break for 3-1 then withstand a 10-point game holding for 4-1. Sinner held firm to take the second set.
The second-seeded Sinner saved a break point in his opening service game of the third set. Spizzirri slid an ace down the T holding for 2-1, while Sinner’s struggles were becoming clear.
Two hours into the match, Sinner called for the trainer. Biting down on his towel, Sinner seemed to be suffering from apparent hand and arm cramps.
Coach Darren Cahill stood in the box “Point by point, come on dig deep.”
Enduring a physical 20-shot rally, Sinner’s legs looked like licorice, his faced was flushed and he was flexing his left arm as he slowly walked back to the court to consult his coaches.
“You just have to get through the end of the set even if you walk around,” Cahill advised Sinner.
Unable to push off his legs on serve, Sinner was arming in his serve into the box. Spizzirri shrewdly worked the wounded champion corner to corner throwing in the drop shot and drawing the error to break for 3-1.
That point left the two-time defending champion looking vacant staggered like a boxer who had absorbed too many body blows and couldn’t see the punches coming anymore.
“I started with the leg and then it got into the arm so I was cramping a bit all over,” Sinner said. “This is the sport and I know this is an area where I need to improve…
“At the end of the day, tennis is a very mental game. I just tried to stay as calm as possible. And then we see. I’m here to fight. I’m here to play each point in the best possible way. Not playing at my best, I tried to do my best.”
At that point, chair umpire Fergus Murphy called both players over to inform them play was suspended due to the Heat Index Rule after two hours, 10 minutes of play. The match was suspended at 2:35 p.m. Melbourne time.
Sinner retreated to the locker room followed by Coach Cahill while the roof over Rod Laver Arena was closed.
After about a seven-minute break, play resumed and Sinner broke back immediately to get back on serve at 2-3.
Though his legs still looked shaky, Sinner slid successive aces to work through a hard-fought hold and level, 3-all.
The 24-year-old Spizzirri, who played college ball for the University of Texas at Austin, looked calm and comfortable moving the ball side-to-side holding for 4-3. On the ensuing changeover, Sinner called out the trainer again who massaged his legs.
Across the net, Spizzirri, contesting his first major third-round match, unraveled a bit sending a wild backhand well wide then double-faulting away the break and a 5-4 lead to Sinner.
Taking the life-line Spizzirri tossed him, Sinner, who was still shaking out his legs between points, was striking with more authority.
76 minutes later, the third set goes 6-4, Sinner’s way 🤜🤛@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/hGEWUiw8Cg
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026
Lashing a forehand down the line brought Sinner triple set point at 40-Love. Sinner spun his 14th ace out wide to take a two sets to one lead after two hours, 54 minutes.
Because the pair played two sets outdoors, the heat rule was in effect giving both men a 10-minute break to leave the court and regroup.
Conditions cooled dramatically with the roof closed and air conditioning flowing. Sinner, who was gazing at the serve clock before each delivery trying to extract every second of recovery time, was left lunging in vain for a ballistic backhand as Spizzirri earned double break point in the fourth game of the fourth set.
A sprinting Sinner curled a tremendous short angle forehand winner to save the first break point. Spizzirri carved out a fine backhand volley winner breaking for 3-1.
A net cord shot from Sinner sat up, Spizzirri played a cross-court drop shot, but the Italian was quick off the mark and caught up to it. Sinner shoveled a pass down the line breaking back for 2-3.
Though Spizzirri looked fresh and fit, his first serve completely deserted him in the seventh game. Sinner smacked a brilliant backhand strike down the line and pounced on the American’s second serves breaking at love for a 4-3 fourth-set lead.
An adrenalized Sinner ran off 10 points in a row ripping an ace to back up the love break with a shutout hold for 5-3.
In the end, Sinner showed survival skills prevailing in a stressful three hour, 45 minutes. Sinner will face 22nd-seeded compatriot Darderi next.
