Jannik Sinner has comfortably progressed to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, securing a straight-sets victory over fellow Italian Luciano Darderi. The two-time defending champion triumphed 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) on Margaret Court Arena, extending his flawless record against compatriots at tour level to 18 consecutive wins.
Sinner's Commanding Performance
Putting behind him the dramatic third-round encounter where he suffered severe cramping against Eliot Spizzirri, Sinner made a dominant start against Darderi. The match commenced in favourable shaded conditions as temperatures begin to climb again in Melbourne, with the peak heat anticipated for Tuesday.
Sinner's serve proved particularly formidable, delivering a grand slam career-best 19 aces throughout the contest. "We put a lot of work in, especially with the serve," Sinner revealed post-match. "We changed a bit the motion and I feel for sure a little bit more confident. I'm very happy how I've come back in the new season."
Third Set Resistance Overcome
While the opening two sets saw Sinner establish clear control, Darderi mounted more substantial resistance in the third. The 22nd seed, renowned for his powerful forehand, saved two match points at 5-4 and initially led in the tie-break. However, Sinner responded emphatically, winning seven consecutive points to seal the victory.
"It was very, very difficult," Sinner acknowledged. "We are very good friends off the court. I felt like in the third set I had a couple of break-point chances, couldn't use them and then it got very, very tight. I'm very happy."
Italian Success Continues
The Italian contingent enjoyed further success as Lorenzo Musetti joined Sinner in the quarter-finals, defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. This marks Musetti's third grand slam quarter-final appearance in the last four majors, representing significant progress for the 23-year-old who had never advanced beyond the third round at a hard-court slam until last year's US Open.
"It was like sort of a mentality switch," Musetti explained regarding his improvement. "Last year during the US Open I was not feeling really well. After Wimbledon I was coming from an injury. Then I managed to find a way in New York and tried to be more aggressive, starting from the serve and after that I felt more confident on these kind of surfaces and these kind of conditions."
Challenging Circumstances Overcome
Musetti's achievement becomes more notable considering the early departure from Australia of two team members, including coach Simone Tartarini, for personal reasons. "Real life knocks on the door sometimes," Musetti reflected. "It's something surprising. It makes you understand life better. I feel more mature and I'm playing better for them."
Musetti now faces the formidable challenge of Novak Djokovic, who received a walkover into the quarter-finals after scheduled opponent Jakub Mensik withdrew citing an abdominal problem. Despite winning only one of their ten previous encounters, several recent matches between Musetti and Djokovic have been closely contested.
Quarter-Final Matchups Set
Sinner will confront familiar opponent Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals, after the American defeated Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. The pair met on four occasions last year, including at Melbourne and Wimbledon, with Sinner emerging victorious each time.
Fritz, meanwhile, appeared downbeat regarding his troublesome knee following his previous victory over Stan Wawrinka, also requiring treatment for an abdominal issue during his match against Musetti.
The results ensure seven of the top eight seeds have progressed to the Australian Open quarter-finals, setting the stage for compelling encounters as the tournament enters its decisive phase.
