Eliot Spizzirri, the same man who eliminated João Fonseca in the first round, caused all kinds of problems for the current two-time Australian Open champion, Jannik Sinner. The 24-year-old American, #85 in the world, won the first set and took a lead in the third, when the Italian had cramps and was moving poorly on the court. Sinner, however, climbed out of the hole. After a pause for the closing of the retractable roof caused by the activation of the extreme heat protocol, the Italian turned the game around and left the court with a hard-fought victory – quite literally – by 4/6, 6/3, 6/4 and 6/4, which placed him once again in the round of 16 in Melbourne.
Sinner now has 17 consecutive victories at the Australian Open and 18 on the world tour. He ended the 2025 season by winning the ATP 500 Vienna, Masters 1000 Paris and ATP Finals titles, and hasn’t lost since.
In the round of 16 for the fifth time in seven appearances in the tournament, the world number 2 is looking for the Australian Open three and his fifth slam title in his career. He will next face compatriot Luciano Darderi (#25), who beat Russian Karen Khachanov (#18) by 7/6(5), 3/6, 6/3 and 6/4 also this Saturday.
