Heat is off: Sinner advances to Australian Open quarterfinals

Jannik Sinner of Italy serves to his compatriot Luciano Darderi during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

MELBOURNE, Australia — Jannik Sinner may have felt lucky to survive the Australian Open third round but he rebounded quickly in a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) win Monday over fellow Italian Luciano Darderi to reach the quarterfinals for a ninth consecutive Grand Slam event.

The two-time defending champion struggled with the extreme heat and cramping in his Saturday afternoon win over No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri, and only took control after the roof was closed in the third set.

Sinner later admitted he got a bit lucky with the timing of the extreme heat policy being invoked, leading to an eight-minute break to close the roof. He was also able to refresh in a 10-minute extra cooling break between the third and fourth sets.

In an evening match in cooler conditions Monday, he was cruising until Darderi lifted his tempo in the third set. Second-ranked Sinner missed match points in the 10th game on Darderi’s serve but then took it up a notch in the tiebreaker.

“I felt quite good out there physically. Everything was okay today,” said Sinner, who had limited practice on his off day between his third- and fourth-round matches. “Let’s see what’s coming in the next round.”

Toward the end of the match Darderi, in his first official head-to-head with Sinner, increased the speed of his forehand as he went for everything, and also added intensity to his serve.

Darderi took the first two points of the tiebreaker but then had to pause for a few moments before serving because of a baby crying in the crowd at Margaret Court Arena.

He didn’t win another point. Sinner reeled off the next seven to triumph in 2 hours and nine minutes.

It extended Sinner’s unbeaten streak to 18 against other Italians on tour and earned a quarterfinal against No. 8 Ben Shelton or No. 12 Casper Ruud.

“It was very, very difficult. We’re good friends off the court,” Sinner said. “Third set I had some break chances, I couldn’t use them. I got tight, so very happy I closed it in three sets.”

Sinner had 19 aces -- a personal record -- and no double-faults and said he was satisfied with the work he put into his serve over the offseason.

He also wanted to emphasize some minor changes to his game, including going to the net and trying to mix up his game.

In a tough hold in the third set, Sinner saved a breakpoint by changing the direction of the rally with a forehand drop shot, bending his knees low, and winning a crucial point. With a serve-and-volley, he held the game.

“Still room to improve, but very happy with how I’ve come back,” he said. “Now for sure, it (the serve) is a bit more stable. I try to go more to the net and being more unpredictable.”

The Associated Press