‘Lucky’ Jannik Sinner saved from shock Australian Open exit by specific tournament rule

Sinner was melting in the sweltering Melbourne conditions against Eliot Spizzirri and needed medical treatment before a key turning point

Jannik Sinner was hugely uncomfortable in the heat but battled through (AFP via Getty Images)

Jannik Sinner’s hopes of a third successive Australian Open title were saved by the heat rule as the second seed fought off cramp and American Eliot Spizzirri to reach the fourth round.

The Italian was in big trouble early in the third set on Rod Laver Arena as his legs seized up but, at the same moment, the tournament’s heat stress scale hit five, triggering the closing of the roof.

Sinner continued to look uncomfortable but, out of the punishing sun and with air conditioning cooling the arena, he battled to a 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory.

Jannik Sinner’s legs seized up during his win over Elliot Spizzirri due to the heat (AP)

“I struggled physically a bit today,” said the relieved second seed. “I got lucky with the heat rule and the roof closing. I took my time and as the time passed I felt better and better.

“I’m very happy about this performance. Looking back at every big tournament there were some tough matches. Hopefully this can give me some positives for the next round.”

While Sinner was ultimately fortunate with the timing, he could consider himself somewhat hard done by to be scheduled second on, with temperatures climbing rapidly during the early afternoon.

Organisers had pushed the start of play on the main courts forward by an hour with extreme heat forecast of up to 40 degrees for the first time this fortnight, meaning the Italian took to Rod Laver Arena just after midday.

Sinner needed medical treatment but battled through (AP)

Sinner is known to find such conditions difficult – last year here his only struggle came in the fourth round against Holger Rune when it was hot, while his last defeat, in Shanghai in October, saw him retire with cramp against Tallon Griekspoor.

Against Spizzirri, a 24-year-old debutant ranked 85, Sinner’s initial problems were with his own game, the four-time grand slam champion making a host of unexpected errors and losing five games in a row to trail by a set and a break.

He steadied and had levelled the match when it became clear his body was beginning to really feel the heat.

Sinner called the trainer after three games of the third set to have his right calf massaged but in the next game at deuce he became racked by cramp and Spizzirri broke to lead 3-1.

The Italian was really struggling with the conditions in Melbourne (Getty Images)

At the same moment, the heat stress scale – which measures air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed – ticked from 4.9 to five, providing relief for Sinner and prompting a wry smile from Spizzirri.

“I started with the leg, then it got into the arm,” said Sinner. “I was cramping a bit all over.

“This is the sport, I know this is an area where I need to improve. Tennis is a very mental game, I just tried to stay as calm as possible. I’m here to fight.”

Things were not straightforward thereafter but Sinner hit back immediately on the resumption and a costly double fault from Spizzirri gave his opponent the key break for 5-4.

A 10-minute stoppage after the third set as part of the tournament’s heat protocols gave Sinner more chance to recover and his movement finally began to improve late in the fourth set as he fought back from 3-1 down to claim victory.

Sinner commiserated with Spizzirri after the match (AP)

Spizzirri rated the conditions far from the worst he had played in, and said of the timing: “I smiled a little bit when the heat rule went into effect.

“I wouldn’t say he got saved by it. He’s too good of a player to say that but, at the same time, it was challenging timing, and that’s just the nature of the sport.”

Sinner will next face compatriot Luciano Darderi, with three Italian men through to the last 16 here for the first time.

Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti coped with the heat a lot better than Sinner, battling to a 5-7 6-4 6-2 5-7 6-2 victory over Tomas Machac after four hours and 27 minutes.

Lorenzo Musetti battled through to the last 16

Play was suspended completely on matches without roofs just after 2.30pm, finally resuming nearly five hours later.

That came too late, though, for British 16-year-old Hollie Smart, who retired in tears from her first-round match in the girls’ singles leading Japan’s Azuna Ichioka 7-5 6-7 (7) 3-2 after becoming completely racked with cramp.

Smart was attended to by medics for several minutes after the match, with ice placed on her body, and she was then able to walk off court.

British doubles player Olivia Nicholls was in the third set of her second-round clash alongside Tereza Mihalikova against Australians Storm Hunter and Maya Joint when play was suspended, with the pair eventually losing 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Having initially been told play could resume from 5.30pm, it was not until 7.15pm that conditions became playable.

Nicholls told the Press Association: “It was difficult. I guess it was the same for everybody but to have to keep mentally preparing yourself to go out there every 30 minutes was quite taxing. I think I’m going to sleep well tonight.

“We also had it in Wuhan at the end of last year that we had the extreme heat rule come in but I think the Australian sun and heat felt more intense, so probably the most intense weather I’ve ever played in.”