On the seventh day of the Australian Open, second-seeded Jannik Sinner battled triple-digit heat and the struggles of unseeded Elliott Spizzilli (USA) in Melbourne to win in four sets. Sinner won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
The result came under controversial circumstances, with officials deciding to suspend play for 10 minutes as the heat index reached 5.0 and the open roof had to be closed at Rod Laver Arena early in the third set with Sinner trailing 2-1. Before the suspension, Sinner suffered from leg cramps that required courtside treatment.
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After losing the first set 6-4 and trailing in the third, the match was briefly suspended to give Sinner a break, prompting many fans to complain that the two-time Australian Open champion was receiving preferential treatment from officials. When the match was stopped, Sinner was clearly suffering from leg problems and was losing to Spizzilli.
Sinner appeared refreshed after the break, but still struggled to regain strength in his legs when play resumed. There is no doubt that Spizzilli had lost the momentum he had when he was in an advantageous position before the game was suspended.
Upon his return, Sinner slowed the pace of the match as he regained his footing. Spizzilli quickly lost control of what appeared to be his set and the match, unable to hold serve. This allowed the defending Australian Open champion to bounce back and win the third set 6-4.
Despite seemingly losing his advantage, Spizzilli continued to apply pressure in the fourth set, trying to move Sinner crosscourt with his sore foot. Sinner quickly took a 3-1 lead, limping along with cramps between points.
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However, Sinner fought back and eventually broke Spizzilli’s serve for a 4-3 victory. At that point, the leg cramps seemed to have taken a backseat, and Sinner seemed determined not to push the match past the fifth set, which Spizzi might have won. (The 24-year-old is 1-0 in five-set matches in his career.)
In the post-match interview, Sinner explained that he felt cramps in his legs as well as his arms as the match progressed.
“We struggled a little bit physically today, we saw that,” Sinner said. “I was lucky enough to have a heat rule and the roof was closed. I took it slow and felt better as time went on, so I’m very happy with my performance. Looking back at the big tournament, there were some really tough matches. Hopefully this will be a positive for the next round.”
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Sinner, aiming for his third straight Australian Open title, will face 22nd seed Luciano Daldelli in the round of 16.
