Jannik Sinner looked on the ropes against Eliot Spizzirri, but he found a way to come through at the Australian Open.
The Italian struggled with the extreme heat in Melbourne, before the roof was closed on the Rod Laver Arena.
Australian Open’s decision to close the roof has been controversial as Sinner responded well to the change in conditions to take three sets in a row and confirm his place in the fourth round.
Sinner looked on the verge of retirement during the third set, when the scores were level, and Darren Cahill was heard offering his pupil words of wisdom.
Darren Cahill’s advice to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open
Sinner was struggling with cramping during the third set as temperatures soared to 40 degrees in Melbourne.
Spizzirri looked in a better position to win the match at one set all, but Sinner’s coach Cahill remained calm on the sidelines.
The Australian coach was overheard saying to Sinner: “We have to get through to the end of the third set mate. Even if you walk around, don’t worry. We’ll take the break.”
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The heat rule came into effect directly after Cahill’s words and Sinner was able to respond well to the roof’s introduction.
He bounced back from trailing 3-1 in the third set to take the set 6-4. He won the fourth set by the same scoreline to secure his place in the fourth round.
The odds looked firmly stacked against Sinner for much of the early stages of the match, but Cahill’s nugget of wisdom might have just saved the Italian’s entire Australian Open campaign.
Jannik Sinner says what he would like to ‘improve’ after Eliot Spizzirri clash
Sinner has previously struggled with cramp in hot conditions, having previously withdrawn from a match against Tallon Griekspoor at the Shanghai Masters.
The Chinese tournament saw 30°C heat and humidity exceeding 80%, which Sinner struggled to deal with on court.
After the Australian Open, it appears Sinner has an issue with extreme heat and it’s something he’s desperate to rectify in the future.
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Speaking at his press conference, he said: “I mean, for sure it’s an area where I would love to improve. There is a reason why I go to the gym every day, trying to get better.
“But in the same time, you know, every player has his own small problems. Maybe this is mine. You don’t know.
“But for sure there is room to improve, which I’m quite sure we will do everything possible to improve in a positive way. Then we see how it goes.”
Sinner next plays his compatriot Luciano Darderi in the fourth round of the Australian Open, for the first time in his career.
