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Tumaini Carayol is at Melbourne Park to report on defending men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner’s testing victory over world No 85 Eliot Spizzirri.
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Jonathan Howcroft
Thank you for joining me this afternoon. It had been a pretty routine grand slam opening week up until today, but that all changed with a defining third round match and the implementation of the Extreme Heat Policy.
There will be a separate liveblog open for this evening’s action, headlined by Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka.
That will be coming to you from frigid London, but from scorching Melbourne, it’s goodbye for now.
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Sinner on cramping:
You know, with the leg, then I got in into the arm. So I was cramping a bit all over. But, you know, this is the sport. I know this is an area where I where I need to improve, we try to work on every day. I have a great team behind me who is pushing me in the right direction.
But in the same time tennis is a very mental game. I just try to to stay calm then we see. I’m here to fight. I’m here to play every point in the best possible way. And you know, today we saw the outcome that, even not playing my best.
Jannik Sinner has paid tribute to Eliot Spizzirri and spoken about his physical challenges this afternoon.
First of all, starting with him, he is an incredible player, he played really, really well today. I wish him really only the very best and I’m sure he has a great season this year.
I struggled physically a bit today. You saw this. I got lucky with the heat rule, they closed the roof, I took my my time, and as the time passed I felt better and better.
Very happy about this performance. Looking back, I’ve had some really tough matches and hopefully this can give me something positive for the next round, starting with with a good mentality again. And then we then we see what’s coming. But I’m really really happy.
Three hours and 45 minutes, much of it in near 40C heat, inducing cramps in his legs and hands… how much has this taken out of Jannik Sinner?
Sinner raises his fist to all corners of Rod Laver Arena, but it is a muted demonstration of relief, not of jubilation. He must know how lucky he has been this afternoon.
ShareJannik Sinner (2) wins 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4
That was one hell of a match and one hell of an escape for the defending champion. It took Jannik Sinner nearly four hours, full body cramps, and the Extreme Heat Protocol, but he is through to a fourth round encounter with Luciano Darderi.
Credit to the second seed for digging in and for taking full advantage of his good fortune. But enormous credit is also due to Eliot Spizzirri for playing the match of his life. He will exit the Australian Open with some regrets but he will have the satisfaction of an enormous payday, and knowing he has taken one of the greatest players of all time to his limit.
Jannik Sinner celebrates his victory over Eliot Spizzirri on day seven of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Photograph: Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 00.39 EST
Spizzirri 4-5 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri doesn’t throw in the towel, holding to 15. Sinner will serve for the match.
*Spizzirri 3-5 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner is starting to move and play with freedom as he eyes the finish line. He finds an angle from nowhere, then absolutely monsters a forehand that looks and sounds faster and more punishing than anything either player has hit all match. An ace adds the exclamation mark. This has been one hell of a scare but the two-time champion appears to have done enough.
Updated at 00.00 EST
Spizzirri 3-4 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Sinner has found some outrageous shots this set, the latest a backhand winner to go up 0-30 that kisses the joint of side and baseline. And for the first time today Spizzirri’s head appears to drop and two soft errors later the break is secured to love. Was that the moment this match swung decisively in the favourite’s favour?
*Spizzirri 3-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) This is becoming a real slugfest now. At 30-15 both men trade huge blows from the baseline, Spizzirri holding his own toe-to-toe, until Sinner goes long. A 16th ace showcases the Italian’s power, then a centimetre perfect drop shot demonstrates his clarity of thought under pressure.
Spizzirri 3-2 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri is trying to keep the tempo high and go for his shots, making life uncomfortable for the flagging Sinner. Both men trade points for 30-30 – then there’s another potentially match-defining point. The American is on top of the baseline exchange, comes into the net, has the opportunity put away the volley but Sinner chases it down in trademark fashion and finesses some portion of racket into the open court. Break point – and Sinner does it again! He benefits from a net cord which forces Spizzirri into the cute crosscourt drop shot towards the umpire’s chair, but Sinner is on it in a flash, lifting the ball over the net for an amazing break-back.
This match is nuts.
*Spizzirri 3-1 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Spizzirri with a clean return winner on Sinner’s second serve, then the Italian goes long for 0-30. Spizzirri is agonisingly close to a backhand winner but Sinner rescues it, then crunches a blistering winner of his own to turn 0-40 to 15-30. Both men then work each other around the court in a testing 16 shot rally that ends with the American finding a superb angle that forces Sinner into a lean that doesn’t slide. Brilliant tennis. AND EVEN BETTER FOLLOWS! Spizzirri again looks to have the point won once, then twice, but Sinner refuses to be beaten, somehow wrapping his racket around the ball to find a mind-blowing winner. But Spizzirri still finds the break! He charges the second serve return, volleys brilliantly at the net, and now has the upper hand in the fourth set!
Spizzirri 2-1 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* A second rapid service hold in a row for the outsider. He is 8/8 on serve so far this set.
*Spizzirri 1-1 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Spizzirri deserved credit for keeping return games simple when Sinner was imploding, but now he is missing some of those conservative shots while his opponent continues to drill winners. The American needs a change of strategy, if he has it in him, to put the pressure back on the Italian instead of waiting for him to make mistakes.
He does just that to drag 40-0 to 40-30 but Sinner holds after getting the better of a cautious baseline exchange.
Spizzirri 1-0 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri resumes after the long break between sets with a love hold. What further twists and turns await us in this unexpected round three classic?
There will be a longer break than usual between sets three and four, as part of the Extreme Heat Protocol.
Jack Snape is on the ground at Melbourne Park and has filed this update on the Extreme Heat Protocol.
ShareSinner wins the third set 6-4
*Spizzirri 0-0 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Remarkably, Sinner now looks the freer of the two men, controlling the tempo from the middle of the baseline, picking off points at will to move up 40-0. He seals the third set with an ace.
Surely he has never won a more improbable set in his career. At 1-3 down he could hardly walk, then the heat protocol led to the closure of the RLA roof, since when his opponent has begun to flag. Can Spizzirri find more?
Updated at 23.30 EST
Lorenzo Musetti (5) wins 5-7 6-4 6-2 5-7 6-2Share
Spizzirri 4-5 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* This is excellent from Spizzirri, keeping his game simple, forcing Sinner to hit more shots than he wants. But it’s also excellent from the Italian, swinging from his boots to nail a forehand winner deep in the corner to keep his opponent honest.
At 40-30 Spizzirri’s intensity dips and he concedes a couple of soft unforced errors to hand Sinner a break point. He responds magnificently, serving big and punishing the Italian’s stretched return.
Sinner keeps going for his shots though and some glorious crisp hitting, repeatedly behind Spizzirri, earns another break point, but this one goes begging off a framed return.
An ace opens the door for Spizzirri but the Italian closes it after a punishing 16 shot rally that ends with both men looking well short of peak fitness. This is becoming like a round on Squid Game.
Spizzirri gets another chance but he is now looking for some short points and goes wide off the backhand aiming for a winner much earlier in the rally than previously today.
Spizzirri errs mid-rally again – then double faults! Sinner will serve for the third set! What a match.
Due to the heat, no matches will be called on outside courts before 5.30pm – AO Referee
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026
*Spizzirri 4-4 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Shorter points are easier on serve, of course, and the Italian rouses himself to go full bore and hold to 30.
Spizzirri 4-3 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* We’re now watching polar opposite strategies. Sinner is playing for short points, Spizzirri is doing his best to keep his opponent moving as much as possible. On this occasion Sinner’s sh*t or bust approach results in a quick hold for the American as a series of Hollywood shots fail to come off.
I wonder if the two-time defending champion is still in this mentally, or whether he has given up the grind for one almighty Hail Mary?
*Spizzirri 3-3 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) A double fault at 15-15 shows Sinner is still not his usual self, then a poor forehand clips the net and bounces out to hand Spizzirri two break points. The American makes a meal of a short second serve, then he clubs a routine backhand into the net, to let Sinner off the hook.
The second seed earns a game point but he can’t convert after losing a rally that ends with him again flexing the muscles in his left hand. Another opportunity follows behind an unfamiliarly aggressive serve, but again Spizzirri shuts the door with a forehand winner behind his opponent. The third deuce comes and goes with Sinner’s ninth ace of the day, but Spizzirri forces a fourth, as the match clock ticks over two-and-a-half hours. A 10th Sinner ace puts the superstar on the brink of a hold, and an 11th seals it. This match is wild.
I hope Spizzirri remains with his head in the contest. He has been dealt a cruel break, but he is still deep in this.
Spizzirri 3-2 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* The roof closure above Rod Laver Arena has happened much quicker than I expected and we’re underway just minutes after the suspension of play… and Sinner breaks back immediately, to 30, swinging freely and taking full advantage of his extraordinary good fortune. Poor Spizzirri.
It goes without saying that the playing conditions change under the roof. By neutralising the variables the odds lean more in Sinner’s favour.
ShareExtreme Heat Protocol Enforced
Goodness me. That is one hell of a Deus ex machina for Jannik Sinner. 1-3 down in the third set, barely able to walk with full body cramping, the umpire brings the two players to the chair to inform them the extreme heat protocol has been enforced and there will now be a delay while the roof is closed over Rod Laver Arena and the air conditioning can take effect.
That is awful awful luck for Eliot Spizzirri who was on the cusp of the biggest win of his life. That victory may still occur, but Sinner will now have time to cool down, receive a massage, take on fluids and electrolytes, and return to the court a healthier athlete.
The AO Heat Stress Scale is above 5.0.
Play is suspended for all matches and practice on outside courts. The roofs on RLA, MCA and JCA will close and remain closed for the remainder of the match.
If onsite, please seek shade and apply cooling strategies.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026
Updated at 22.41 EST
*Spizzirri 3-1 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner is cramping. During the changeover he glugged some pickle juice but it doesn’t stop the thumb on his grip hand cramping after his opening serve. Spizzirri just keeps on keeping on, sending the ball back from whence it came, forcing his opponent to hit shot after shot.
The intensity has dropped dramatically. Sinner’s errors are sloppier, and he double faults on his way to 15-40. “Let’s go point by point, dig deep,” urges coach Cahill. The second seed does that to move 30-40 but he continues to try and stretch his right thumb and find some energy as he walks to the service line. He does just enough to save another break point when Spizzirri dumps a backhand into the net, but he is walking awkwardly and returning repeatedly to his box at the end of each point.
He greets deuce with a welcome ace only to hand the point back with a failed drop shot. Now it’s his left hand cramping, forcing him to contort his wrist like a victim of the Cruciatus Curse.
The last thing Sinner needs is a long point full of running, but that’s exactly what Spizzirri gives him, the American earning a break point with a lob that his opponent barely stretches for. SINNER CAN HARDLY WALK! He’s like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, jerkily staggering over to his box who are imploring him just to keep going. He does, second serving at just 111kmh, allowing Spizzirri to dominate, securing the break with a very very smart drop shot that Sinner cannot get near.
WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF A MASSIVE UPSET!
Jannik Sinner has called for the trainer. The physio and doctor come into the arena to work on the Italian’s right calf. It’s just some brief work during the changeover but an indication the second seed is not 100%.
Spizzirri 2-1 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Three unreturnable serves, two of them aces, as Spizzirri glides to an easy hold.
*Spizzirri 1-1 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner cruises to 30-0 then capitulates to 30-40 with a double fault, before finding a welcome inside-out forehand winner. He seals the hold with an emphatic forehand put-away, but this remains a massive grind for the Italian, who has struggled to dominate his unseeded opponent on serve.
Returning to Sinner’s fashion, I’ve been reaching for the words to explain the attire of his box. There are four coaches in it, all wearing artichoke green athleisure t-shirts bedecked with corporate logos. A couple of them (including Darren Cahill) are wearing Secret Service-style shades. The overall effect is uncanny and a bit sinister, like they’re replicants in a Pilates-based Matrix, or staff at a dystopian leisure centre run by right-wing tech entrepreneurs.