Jannik Sinner survived a severe bout of cramping and extreme heat to beat Eliot Spizzirri 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the fourth round of the Australian Open. The two-time defending champion struggled in 36°C conditions on Rod Laver Arena before being granted a timely reprieve when the tournament’s heat rule forced the roof to close.
Early in the third set, Sinner began to cramp in both his legs and arms. Trailing 1-2, he called for the trainer and was unable to run properly. As Spizzirri broke to lead 3-1, the heat stress reading hit level five on the tournament’s scale, suspending play and allowing the roof to be shut. Sinner limped to the bathroom and, after the break, gradually recovered in the cooler conditions.
“I got lucky with the heat rule, they closed the roof,” Sinner said. “I took my time, as the time passed, I felt better. I’m very happy with this performance.” He avoided sitting during changeovers for the rest of the match to prevent cramps from returning, and his physical state improved as he took control with aggressive first-strike tennis.
Extreme heat has long been a weakness for Sinner. His only hard-court defeat since September 2024 to a player other than Carlos Alcaraz was a retirement loss to Tallon Griekspoor in Shanghai last October. However, his ability to battle through such adversity has often strengthened him, and he will now be a formidable opponent in the later rounds.
