Weather intervention saves Sinner's Australian Open defence
World number two Jannik Sinner has acknowledged a significant stroke of fortune helped preserve his Australian Open title defence during a gruelling third-round encounter at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
The Italian champion appeared in serious difficulty when trailing American qualifier Eliot Spizzirri by a service break in the crucial third set, before the tournament's extreme heat policy provided an unexpected lifeline.
With temperatures exceeding 36 degrees Celsius, officials implemented the heat rule immediately after Sinner dropped serve to fall 3-1 behind, allowing the Rod Laver Arena roof to close and providing the defending champion with vital recovery time.
Physical struggles mount under Melbourne heat
Sinner's difficulties were evident from the early stages, as the four-time Grand Slam winner appeared visibly distressed by the extreme conditions. The second seed uncharacteristically lost three consecutive service games to concede the opening set, compounding his troubles with a time violation from chair umpire Fergus Murphy.
"I struggled physically a bit today. We saw this. I got lucky with the heat rule, when they closed the roof," Sinner admitted following his eventual 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory.
The champion required medical attention for calf cramping and consumed pickle juice during the third set, with his coach Darren Cahill urging him to "dig deep" from courtside.
Strategic timing raises questions
The timing of the heat policy implementation drew attention, with television footage capturing Cahill following tournament director Craig Tiley through Melbourne Park corridors as the roof closure commenced.
Spizzirri, ranked 85th in the world, accepted the circumstances philosophically, stating they were "the rules of the game and you gotta live with it." The American's gracious response highlighted the professional standards maintained despite the controversial timing.
Italian tennis celebrates historic milestone
Sinner's survival sets up an all-Italian fourth-round encounter with 22nd seed Luciano Darderi, who defeated Russian Karen Khachanov in four sets. The day marked a significant achievement for Italian tennis, with three men reaching the fourth round for the first time in tournament history.
Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti completed the Italian trio with a five-set victory over Czech Tomas Machac, demonstrating the depth of talent emerging from the Davis Cup champions.
"Looking back, in every big tournament I've had, there were some really tough matches, so hopefully this can give me some positives for the next round," Sinner reflected on his narrow escape.
The defending champion's advancement ensures continued interest in the men's draw, though questions surrounding the heat policy's application may warrant further examination by tournament officials.