MELBOURNE, Australia — Jannik Sinner, limping and desperately trying to stretch out cramped arms and legs, had just broken serve in the third set when the heat rule came to his rescue.
The two-time defending Australian Open champion came back to life as action was suspended for several minutes at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday afternoon and the roof was closed.
With Sinner seemingly on the verge of elimination – with his coach Darren Cahill urging the 24-year-old Italian to hang on for a few more games – Sinner won five of his next six games against No. 85 Eliot Spizzirri.
Then, after a 10-minute “cooling off” break between the third and fourth sets – another perk of the extreme heat policy – Sinner came back with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 that highlighted the intense contrast of light and shadow.
“I struggled with my conditioning today. I was lucky enough to get the heat rules,” said Sinner, who agreed that the cooler indoor conditions suited him better than the energy-sapping heat of the first two sets. “As time goes by, I feel better and better.”
Looking back on his 3-1 deficit in the third set, in which the second-seeded Sinner dropped as many service games as he had in the entire 2025 tournament, he said he was just trying to survive until a longer break.
“Starting in my legs, going up my arms. I had a little bit of cramping all over,” he said. “That’s the sport. I know that’s an area I need to improve on.
“Tennis is a very mental sport. I try to stay as calm as possible. I’m here to fight and play every point in the best way possible.”
The 24-year-old American player Spitzri made his debut in the Australian Open main draw and had never won three consecutive games on the elite tour before. However, he converted six of 16 break point opportunities against Sinner. No one has received more serves than the Italian since the 2024 final against Daniil Medvedev.
In the second set, Sinner was given a rare timing violation by referee Fergus Murphy as he prepared to serve. In an act of sportsmanship, Spizzri stepped in, approaching the referee and saying he wasn’t ready to catch the ball.
The Americans stood by him until Sinner’s movement was truly hampered.
But as the glare faded, temperatures eased in the third and fourth sets and the heat from the court dropped dramatically, Sinner’s confidence returned.
He will next face fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, who defeated No. 15 Karen Khachanov 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Three Italian players advanced to the last 16, with fifth-ranked Lorenzo Musetti beating Tomas Machac 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in a match at John Cain Arena that also had to be briefly paused in the fifth set to close the roof.
Eighth-ranked Ben Shelton beat Monaco’s Valentin Vaccello 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (5) at Margaret Court Arena and was delighted the roof had closed before he stepped onto the court.
“Having this roof closed here today just amplifies the noise,” Shelton told the crowd. “If this roof was open today, I don’t know if I would be able to get that far.”
He told viewers to stay calm, adding: “I’m not done yet. I hope you guys will come back in two days because I still have a lot to prove here.”
Under the Australian Open’s heat rules, play on outdoor courts will be suspended for at least three hours from Saturday afternoon.
When the game reaches its so-called heat level of maximum 5, the temperature is about 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). The expected maximum temperature is 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
An earlier-than-usual start to Day 7, coupled with hot weather, had defending champion Madison Keys and fellow American Jessica Pegula unfazed in the morning session. Ninth-seeded Keys defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in her first match at Rod Laver Arena, while sixth-seeded Pegula defeated Oksana Selehmeteva 6-3, 6-2 in her first match at Margaret Court Arena.
Up next, the two Americans and podcast friends compete in round four.
There was another All-American match on Saturday – fourth seed Amanda Anisimova advanced to the round of 16 by defeating Payton Stearns 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic, nightclub in Osaka
The evening match at Rod Laver Arena pits ten-time champion Novak Djokovic against Botic van der Zandshulp and Naomi Osaka against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis.
