Sinner advances to Australian Open quarterfinals in cooler conditions.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Jannik Sinner might have considered himself fortunate to advance past the third round of the Australian Open, but he quickly bounced back with a straight-sets victory on Monday against fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, securing his spot in the quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive Grand Slam tournament.
The two-time defending champion faced challenges with the intense heat and cramping during his Saturday afternoon match against No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri, only gaining control after the roof was closed in the third set.
Sinner later acknowledged that he benefited from the timing of the extreme heat policy being activated, which resulted in an eight-minute break to close the roof. He also had the opportunity to refresh during a 10-minute cooling break between the third and fourth sets.
In an evening match with cooler temperatures, he was performing well until Darderi increased his pace in the third set. The second-ranked Sinner missed match points in the 10th game on his opponent’s serve but ultimately secured the win 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).
Darderi, who saved two match points on his serve, started the tiebreaker by winning the first two points but had to pause briefly before serving due to a baby crying in the crowd at Margaret Court Arena.
He did not win another point, as Sinner went on to take the next seven to finish the match in 2 hours and nine minutes.
This victory extended his unbeaten streak to 18 against fellow Italians on tour and set up a quarterfinal clash against either No. 8 Ben Shelton or No. 12 Casper Ruud.
“It was very, very difficult. We’re good friends off the court,” Sinner remarked. “In the third set, I had some break chances that I couldn’t capitalize on. I got tight, so I’m very pleased to have closed it in three sets.”
Sinner recorded 19 aces—a personal best—without any double faults and expressed satisfaction with the effort he dedicated to improving his serve during the offseason.
He also highlighted some minor adjustments to his game, such as approaching the net and varying his playing style.
In a challenging hold during the third set, Sinner saved a breakpoint by altering the direction of the rally with a forehand drop shot, bending low to win the point. He executed a serve-and-volley to secure that game.
“There’s still room for improvement, but I’m very pleased with how I’ve returned,” he stated. “Now, for sure, the serve is a bit more stable. I aim to approach the net more and be less predictable.”
Source: espn.com
