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Three hours and 45 minutes, much of it in near 40C heat, inducing cramps in his legs and hands… how much has this taken out of Jannik Sinner?
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Sinner raises his fist to all corners of Rod Laver Arena, but it is a muted demonstration of relief, not of jubilation. He must know how lucky he has been this afternoon.
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Jannik Sinner (2) wins 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4
That was one hell of a match and one hell of an escape for the defending champion. It took Jannik Sinner nearly four hours, full body cramps, and the Extreme Heat Protocol, but he is through to a fourth round encounter with Luciano Darderi.
Credit to the second seed for digging in and for taking full advantage of his good fortune. But enormous credit is also due to Eliot Spizzirri for playing the match of his life. He will exit the Australian Open with some regrets but he will have the satisfaction of an enormous payday, and knowing he has taken one of the greatest players of all time to his limit.
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Spizzirri 4-5 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri doesn’t throw in the towel, holding to 15. Sinner will serve for the match.
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*Spizzirri 3-5 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner is starting to move and play with freedom as he eyes the finish line. He finds an angle from nowhere, then absolutely monsters a forehand that looks and sounds faster and more punishing than anything either player has hit all match. An ace adds the exclamation mark. This has been one hell of a scare but the two-time champion appears to have done enough.
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Updated at 00.00 EST
Spizzirri 3-4 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Sinner has found some outrageous shots this set, the latest a backhand winner to go up 0-30 that kisses the joint of side and baseline. And for the first time today Spizzirri’s head appears to drop and two soft errors later the break is secured to love. Was that the moment this match swung decisively in the favourite’s favour?
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*Spizzirri 3-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) This is becoming a real slugfest now. At 30-15 both men trade huge blows from the baseline, Spizzirri holding his own toe-to-toe, until Sinner goes long. A 16th ace showcases the Italian’s power, then a centimetre perfect drop shot demonstrates his clarity of thought under pressure.
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Spizzirri 3-2 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri is trying to keep the tempo high and go for his shots, making life uncomfortable for the flagging Sinner. Both men trade points for 30-30 – then there’s another potentially match-defining point. The American is on top of the baseline exchange, comes into the net, has the opportunity put away the volley but Sinner chases it down in trademark fashion and finesses some portion of racket into the open court. Break point – and Sinner does it again! He benefits from a net cord which forces Spizzirri into the cute crosscourt drop shot towards the umpire’s chair, but Sinner is on it in a flash, lifting the ball over the net for an amazing break-back.
This match is nuts.
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*Spizzirri 3-1 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Spizzirri with a clean return winner on Sinner’s second serve, then the Italian goes long for 0-30. Spizzirri is agonisingly close to a backhand winner but Sinner rescues it, then crunches a blistering winner of his own to turn 0-40 to 15-30. Both men then work each other around the court in a testing 16 shot rally that ends with the American finding a superb angle that forces Sinner into a lean that doesn’t slide. Brilliant tennis. AND EVEN BETTER FOLLOWS! Spizzirri again looks to have the point won once, then twice, but Sinner refuses to be beaten, somehow wrapping his racket around the ball to find a mind-blowing winner. But Spizzirri still finds the break! He charges the second serve return, volleys brilliantly at the net, and now has the upper hand in the fourth set!
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Spizzirri 2-1 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* A second rapid service hold in a row for the outsider. He is 8/8 on serve so far this set.
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*Spizzirri 1-1 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Spizzirri deserved credit for keeping return games simple when Sinner was imploding, but now he is missing some of those conservative shots while his opponent continues to drill winners. The American needs a change of strategy, if he has it in him, to put the pressure back on the Italian instead of waiting for him to make mistakes.
He does just that to drag 40-0 to 40-30 but Sinner holds after getting the better of a cautious baseline exchange.
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Spizzirri 1-0 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri resumes after the long break between sets with a love hold. What further twists and turns await us in this unexpected round three classic?
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There will be a longer break than usual between sets three and four, as part of the Extreme Heat Protocol.
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Jack Snape is on the ground at Melbourne Park and has filed this update on the Extreme Heat Protocol.
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Sinner wins the third set 6-4
*Spizzirri 0-0 4-6 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Remarkably, Sinner now looks the freer of the two men, controlling the tempo from the middle of the baseline, picking off points at will to move up 40-0. He seals the third set with an ace.
Surely he has never won a more improbable set in his career. At 1-3 down he could hardly walk, then the heat protocol led to the closure of the RLA roof, since when his opponent has begun to flag. Can Spizzirri find more?
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Updated at 23.30 EST
Lorenzo Musetti (5) wins 5-7 6-4 6-2 5-7 6-2
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Spizzirri 4-5 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* This is excellent from Spizzirri, keeping his game simple, forcing Sinner to hit more shots than he wants. But it’s also excellent from the Italian, swinging from his boots to nail a forehand winner deep in the corner to keep his opponent honest.
At 40-30 Spizzirri’s intensity dips and he concedes a couple of soft unforced errors to hand Sinner a break point. He responds magnificently, serving big and punishing the Italian’s stretched return.
Sinner keeps going for his shots though and some glorious crisp hitting, repeatedly behind Spizzirri, earns another break point, but this one goes begging off a framed return.
An ace opens the door for Spizzirri but the Italian closes it after a punishing 16 shot rally that ends with both men looking well short of peak fitness. This is becoming like a round on Squid Game.
Spizzirri gets another chance but he is now looking for some short points and goes wide off the backhand aiming for a winner much earlier in the rally than previously today.
Spizzirri errs mid-rally again – then double faults! Sinner will serve for the third set! What a match.
Due to the heat, no matches will be called on outside courts before 5.30pm – AO Referee
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026
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*Spizzirri 4-4 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Shorter points are easier on serve, of course, and the Italian rouses himself to go full bore and hold to 30.
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Spizzirri 4-3 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* We’re now watching polar opposite strategies. Sinner is playing for short points, Spizzirri is doing his best to keep his opponent moving as much as possible. On this occasion Sinner’s sh*t or bust approach results in a quick hold for the American as a series of Hollywood shots fail to come off.
I wonder if the two-time defending champion is still in this mentally, or whether he has given up the grind for one almighty Hail Mary?
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*Spizzirri 3-3 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) A double fault at 15-15 shows Sinner is still not his usual self, then a poor forehand clips the net and bounces out to hand Spizzirri two break points. The American makes a meal of a short second serve, then he clubs a routine backhand into the net, to let Sinner off the hook.
The second seed earns a game point but he can’t convert after losing a rally that ends with him again flexing the muscles in his left hand. Another opportunity follows behind an unfamiliarly aggressive serve, but again Spizzirri shuts the door with a forehand winner behind his opponent. The third deuce comes and goes with Sinner’s ninth ace of the day, but Spizzirri forces a fourth, as the match clock ticks over two-and-a-half hours. A 10th Sinner ace puts the superstar on the brink of a hold, and an 11th seals it. This match is wild.
I hope Spizzirri remains with his head in the contest. He has been dealt a cruel break, but he is still deep in this.
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Spizzirri 3-2 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* The roof closure above Rod Laver Arena has happened much quicker than I expected and we’re underway just minutes after the suspension of play… and Sinner breaks back immediately, to 30, swinging freely and taking full advantage of his extraordinary good fortune. Poor Spizzirri.
It goes without saying that the playing conditions change under the roof. By neutralising the variables the odds lean more in Sinner’s favour.
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Extreme Heat Protocol Enforced
Goodness me. That is one hell of a Deus ex machina for Jannik Sinner. 1-3 down in the third set, barely able to walk with full body cramping, the umpire brings the two players to the chair to inform them the extreme heat protocol has been enforced and there will now be a delay while the roof is closed over Rod Laver Arena and the air conditioning can take effect.
That is awful awful luck for Eliot Spizzirri who was on the cusp of the biggest win of his life. That victory may still occur, but Sinner will now have time to cool down, receive a massage, take on fluids and electrolytes, and return to the court a healthier athlete.
The AO Heat Stress Scale is above 5.0.
Play is suspended for all matches and practice on outside courts. The roofs on RLA, MCA and JCA will close and remain closed for the remainder of the match.
If onsite, please seek shade and apply cooling strategies.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026
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Updated at 22.41 EST
*Spizzirri 3-1 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner is cramping. During the changeover he glugged some pickle juice but it doesn’t stop the thumb on his grip hand cramping after his opening serve. Spizzirri just keeps on keeping on, sending the ball back from whence it came, forcing his opponent to hit shot after shot.
The intensity has dropped dramatically. Sinner’s errors are sloppier, and he double faults on his way to 15-40. “Let’s go point by point, dig deep,” urges coach Cahill. The second seed does that to move 30-40 but he continues to try and stretch his right thumb and find some energy as he walks to the service line. He does just enough to save another break point when Spizzirri dumps a backhand into the net, but he is walking awkwardly and returning repeatedly to his box at the end of each point.
He greets deuce with a welcome ace only to hand the point back with a failed drop shot. Now it’s his left hand cramping, forcing him to contort his wrist like a victim of the Cruciatus Curse.
The last thing Sinner needs is a long point full of running, but that’s exactly what Spizzirri gives him, the American earning a break point with a lob that his opponent barely stretches for. SINNER CAN HARDLY WALK! He’s like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, jerkily staggering over to his box who are imploring him just to keep going. He does, second serving at just 111kmh, allowing Spizzirri to dominate, securing the break with a very very smart drop shot that Sinner cannot get near.
WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF A MASSIVE UPSET!
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Jannik Sinner has called for the trainer. The physio and doctor come into the arena to work on the Italian’s right calf. It’s just some brief work during the changeover but an indication the second seed is not 100%.
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Spizzirri 2-1 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Three unreturnable serves, two of them aces, as Spizzirri glides to an easy hold.
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*Spizzirri 1-1 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner cruises to 30-0 then capitulates to 30-40 with a double fault, before finding a welcome inside-out forehand winner. He seals the hold with an emphatic forehand put-away, but this remains a massive grind for the Italian, who has struggled to dominate his unseeded opponent on serve.
Returning to Sinner’s fashion, I’ve been reaching for the words to explain the attire of his box. There are four coaches in it, all wearing artichoke green athleisure t-shirts bedecked with corporate logos. A couple of them (including Darren Cahill) are wearing Secret Service-style shades. The overall effect is uncanny and a bit sinister, like they’re replicants in a Pilates-based Matrix, or staff at a dystopian leisure centre run by right-wing tech entrepreneurs.
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Spizzirri 1-0 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2)* Refreshed after a little break, Spizzirri continues to absorb Sinner’s ferocity from the baseline to move up 40-15. Then he slaps a massive forehand winner down the line to take an early lead in the third set. The American is playing out of his skin.
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Luciano Darderi (22) wins 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-4
The winner of the match on centre court will face Italian 22nd seed Luciano Darderi, who has just overcome 15th seed Karen Khachanov on Kia Arena. Darderi spend almost three and a half hours in the Melbourne heat, so he’s unlikely to be much fresher than whoever he faces in round four.
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Updated at 22.10 EST
The match duration is up to 98 minutes and the temperature is up to 37C. This is some serious punishment for Jannik Sinner. The Italian is now sat shirtless on his bench with the air-conditioner exhaust pipe resting on his chest. Eliot Spizzirri has left the arena for a change of clothes.
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Sinner wins the second set 6-3
*Spizzirri 0-0 3-6 6-4 Sinner (2) Sinner’s unforced error count grows to 26, compared to Spizzirri’s 12, as the American moves up 15-30. Then he slams down a much-needed ace and pumps his fist to his box. Any joy is short-lived as the Italian fails to put away an easy finish at the net with Spizzirri gambling correctly on the forehand side. Another powerful first serve calms the nerves.
A first double fault of the match from Sinner results in a second break point, and again he saves it with a huge serve, this one his sixth ace of the afternoon. Spizzirri overhits to allow Sinner to serve for the set – and this time he seals it! That will come as a huge relief to the two-time defending champion and his team, but the unseeded American does not look like he’s going to go quietly.
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Spizzirri 6-4 3-5 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri continues to go toe-to-toe with his more credentialed opponent, holding his own from the baseline, profiting from Sinner’s regular errors. The American holds to 15 to force the second seed to serve out the second set.
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*Spizzirri 6-4 2-5 Sinner (2) Now Sinner enjoys a rare love game on serve.
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Amanda Anisimova (4) wins 6-1 6-4
Fourth seed Amanda Anisimova spent just over an hour in the heat as she defeated compatriot Peyton Stearns. There are now four top-ten seeded Americans in the last 16.
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Spizzirri 6-4 2-4 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri holds quickly to love while Sinner spends most of the game hiding in the shade deep behind the baseline.
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The heat stress scale is up to 4.3 and rising (a reminder that five is the maximum). That means conditions are close to as tough as is bearable before action is taken.
More on that here from earlier in the liveblog.
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*Spizzirri 6-4 1-4 Sinner (2) Spizzirri is fighting so so hard, refusing to gift Sinner any cheap errors during rallies, making the Italian hit winners, or fail trying. At 15-30 the pressure is on Sinner’s serve, but he finds some form to fire an ace and move up 40-30, only to be clawed back to deuce by some more determined defence after taking up a dominant position at the net.
An unforced error leads to break point but Sinner saves it with some confident serve-volleying. He gets to the net quickly again for another cheap point, then Spizzirri makes a rare error from the baseline to concede the game.
This is a serious test for the second seed, magnified by the fierce heat.
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Spizzirri 6-4 1-3 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri sends down his first double fault of the day on his way to 30-40 as Sinner starts to find his groove from the back of the court. The Italian then eases into another gear, executing a drop shot, bringing the American to the net, then passing with gusto behind him.
The temperature is up to 36C now. Even if the second seed escapes this trapdoor he is still facing one heck of a physical recovery after what is going to have to be a long afternoon in these conditions.
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*Spizzirri 6-4 1-2 Sinner (2) Will Spizzirri wilt now? No chance. 0-15 arrives with a rasping backhand winner down the line that draws a wry smile from the four-time grand slam champion. Sinner again rises to the challenge, grinding to 30, then 40-15 with the latter point another showstopper ending with both men exchanging shots of the most acute angle either side of the net.
With both men gasping for air and the crowd on its feet Sinner is preposterously punished by the umpire for falling behind the serve clock, prompting the Italian to come to the chair to remonstrate. Spizzirri joins in too, supporting his foe’s claims, for which he receives a fraternal racket tap.
The delay has an effect. Instead of Sinner riding the energy of the crowd he slips back to deuce, before regaining his composure to serve out a rare hold.
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Updated at 21.34 EST
Spizzirri 6-4 1-1 Sinner (2)* UNREAL! Spizzirri is in pure flow as he comes out on top of the rally of the match so far. It’s an energy-sapping 23 shotter, both men dragged side-to-side, forward and back, ending with Sinner up to the net and the outsider drilling a crosscourt pass like a Jedi seeing the ball before it arrives and executing the swish of the racket with freedom. Nonetheless the adrenaline sparks Sinner into life and he wins the next two points with determined fist pumps. The old Sinner returns on break point and Spizzirri shows the first hint of weakness, framing a ball on the baseline into the crowd.
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Updated at 21.24 EST
*Spizzirri 6-4 1-0 Sinner (2) Sinner is not the flawless metronome of rounds one and two, missing his targets repeatedly in both attack and defence. Credit has to go to Spizzirri for digging in and just staying alive in rallies, not giving the world number 2 any cheap points, but this is extraordinary. In that opening set Sinner won just 50% of points on his first serve and 1/7 on his second!
The American starts the second set by forcing two break points as Sinner again punches himself out, overhitting after failing to put away a series of would-be winners. The first is butchered despite a cagey second serve, but the second is secured when Sinner strikes a groundstroke long.
What is going on!?
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Spizzirri wins the first set 6-4
Spizzirri 6-4 0-0 Sinner (2)* Spizzirri races to 30-0 and is then gifted three set points when Sinner chucks in a grisly, unnecessary, drop shot during a mid-length rally, the kind of scenario he usually feasts on. The American is unfazed and serves out to love to win the first set!
Sinner’s streak of 25 consecutive set wins is over. His tournament could be over soon too if he doesn’t adjust to the testing conditions against an outsider who is rising to the occasion.
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*Spizzirri 5-4 Sinner (2) Something quite remarkable might be happening on Rod Laver Arena. Spizzirri climbs all over a Sinner second serve to crunch a backhand winner for 30-30 then earns a break point after getting on top of a tete-a-tete at the net. A break point he secures with a swagger, forcing Sinner to retreat on the baseline then putting away a backhand volley at the net with aplomb. The American will serve for the opening set!
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Updated at 21.06 EST
Spizzirri 4-4 Sinner (2)* Simmer’s unforced error count climbs to 13 as Spizzirri consolidates the break and wins his second game in a row to love. Darren Cahill and the rest of the Italian’s box give their charge a gee-up, encouraging him to be more aggressive.
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Updated at 21.06 EST
Sinner is serving at 79%, by the way, but has won just 7/15 points behind it. Remarkable.
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*Spizzirri 3-4 Sinner (2) FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THE OPENING SET SINNER IS BROKEN TO LOVE! What is going on out there? Just like the previous game, it’s all on Sinner’s racket with a full complement of unforced errors rewarding Spizzirri’s ability to hang tough.
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Spizzirri 2-4 Sinner (2)* Sinner starts to ease into rhythm and moves up 15-40, leathering the ball from the baseline, punishing anything short from Spizzirri. The American is holding his own in the main but every so often the Italian just unleashes a shot that takes your breath away. The break is secured by one of those, a crosscourt forehand from the baseline that accelerates off the racket at warp speed and blisters the court on its way to the back fence.
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Updated at 20.54 EST
*Spizzirri 2-3 Sinner (2) Sinner holds, wearing an unarguably gross all-mustard outfit with mucky olive accents, which is the inverse of his nighttime uniform of mucky olive with mustard accents. His shorts are weirdly proportioned and his shirt collar is pointless. It does not befit one of the best players in the world. Reassuringly, Sinner a Gucci brand ambassador, apparently hates it. Up your game Nike.
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Spizzirri 2-2 Sinner (2)* The ambient temperature is 34C and climbing on Rod Laver Arena. If you’ve never experienced that kind of heat before, it’s rubbish for playing sport in, I can assure you. If you have experienced that kind of heat, but not in Melbourne, it’s useful to know the difference between 30ish degrees and 40ish comes from fierce northerly winds, giving the sensation of being permanently stuck behind the exhaust pipe of a bus.
Spizzirri holds to 30. Sinner hasn’t settled yet.
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*Spizzirri 1-2 Sinner (2) Unsure if I’m now actually drinking coffee, or a hallucinogen, Spizzirri breaks Sinner to love! The Italian makes four errors, three unforced, for a break as rare as a normal Melbourne weather day. That’s the first time this tournament the two-time defending champion has had his serve broken. Further, he only dropped serve once at the ATP finals.
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Spizzirri 0-2 Sinner (2)* Sinner breaks to 30, as I was cleaning up the mess I made misusing the coffee machine. He is peppering Spizzirri’s backhand corner with those massive forehands.
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*Spizzirri 0-1 Sinner (2) Sinner opens the match by holding to 30, as I was making myself a coffee.
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The focus of my attention will soon be second seed Jannik Sinner who is up on centre court against 24 year old American Eliot Spizzirri.
Spizzirri is ranked 85 in the world and has impressed on the ATP Challenger circuit over the past couple of seasons. Before this year’s AO he’d won just one match at a major tournament, the opening round of the 2025 US Open, but has come through a couple of tough outings at Melbourne Park. First, a four set upset of 28th seed João Fonseca, then a five-setter against Wu Yibing.
Sinner, who has strolled through to third round conceding just ten games, represents an enormous step-up in class.
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Over to the men’s draw where Tomas Machac has taken the opening set from fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti on John Cain Arena.
It’s better news for Italian tennis on Kia Arena with Luciano Darderi (22) a set up on Karen Khachanov (15).
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There are already four American women through to the fourth round, and a fifth will join them shortly with Peyton Stearns and Amanda Anisimova (4) getting underway shortly on Margaret Court Arena.
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It was encouraging to see Pliskova reach this stage of a slam after such a horrible run of injuries but it was clear that without the extra 20kmh of serving power that made her such a force 5-10 years ago her game is significantly diminished. Keys was ruthless in exploiting her advantage, dominating from the baseline and firing winners at will.
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Keys also spoke about facing friend and podcast co-host Jessica Pegula in the fourth round.
It’s going to be a tough match. Jess is such a great player. She’s always so consistently doing well every single week that she plays. She’s such a competitor. She is in every single match. She’s just so gritty. So, you know, it’s always going really tough match.
It also makes it hard being friends, and we’re going to have to film a podcast before we play, so we’ll see how that goes.
It’s honestly been so much fun and it’s been really cool because everyone kind of gets to see more of our personalities, when we’re not stressed and just talking about the most insane things possible. So I think it’s really cool that everyone kind of gets to know us a little bit better, and we get to give them a little bit of an insight on what life on tour actually is like.
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