Jannik Sinner battles exhaustion, heat rule to avoid Australian Open upset

While large swaths of the U.S. faced ice and snow this weekend, tennis stars in Australia battled extreme heat.

The conditions took a noticeable toll on Italian Jannik Sinner, who tried to stretch through apparent cramps and needed the assistance of an air-conditioning tube during the third round of men’s singles at the Australian Open.

Nearly 100-degree temperatures in the third set appeared to spark Sinner’s cramping issues. Sinner struggled to deliver a high-velocity serve in the third set, with one attempt registering just 69 mph. Sinner’s opponent, American Eliot Spizzirri, led 2-1 in the set.

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However, the tournament's two-time defending champion was likely aware that a much-needed respite was on the horizon considering the Australian Open’s Heat Stress Scale. The scale takes multiple factors into account, including the temperature, radiant heat (or the strength of the sun), humidity and wind speed. 

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When rules permitted, players were instructed to exit the court while the Rod Laver Arena roof was closed. Despite Spizzirri’s visible frustration with the timing of the break, tournament rules required that play be suspended at even games when heat thresholds are exceeded. After the stoppage, Sinner returned and looked revitalized.

Sinner won five of the next six games to take the set against Spizzirri. Sinner trailed early in the fourth set but rallied to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory that highlighted a dramatic contrast of intense light and shade.

"I struggled physically today. I got lucky with the heat rule," Sinner said, agreeing that the cooler indoor conditions suited him much more than the energy-sapping heat of the first two sets. "I try to stay calm even in a moment like this. If he keeps playing the way he was playing, maybe I was dropping a little bit, maybe my tournament was over today. I don’t know."

Spizzirri was magnanimous about it, adding: " That’s the rules of the game, and, you know, you got to live with it."

Sinner will face fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in the fourth round on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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