Melbourne, Australia
News Desk | Sports Tennis
MELBOURNE, Australia — Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending Australian Open champion, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Australian Open on Monday with a commanding straight-sets victory over fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, winning 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2), according to match reports.
Jannik Sinner, seeded No. 2 in the men’s singles draw, demonstrated resilience and tactical precision in Melbourne despite recent physical challenges from extreme heat that have marked his tournament run. The 24-year-old closed out the fourth-round match in just over two hours on Margaret Court Arena, ending Darderi’s spirited bid with a tightly contested final set.
Earlier in the tournament, Sinner battled intense temperatures exceeding 36 °C (97 °F) and cramping in a third-round match against American Eliot Spizzirri, ultimately prevailing in four sets after the tournament’s extreme heat policy was triggered, closing the roof and providing a recovery window that proved decisive. Spizzirri later acknowledged the timing of the heat rule break but said it was a standard safety protocol applied regardless of match situation.
Monday’s win secures Jannik Sinner a place in the quarterfinals, where he is scheduled to face either American eighth seed Ben Shelton or Norway’s Casper Ruud, both strong performers in the bottom half of the draw.
Off court, the defending champion briefly drew attention for being asked to remove a wearable fitness tracking device moments before his fourth-round match, in line with Grand Slam regulations that prohibit such gadgets during competition. Tournament officials enforced the rule without incident, and Sinner complied, noting he uses the device for training but understands the on-court restrictions.
Jannik Sinner progression continues his impressive form at major events; his victory in Melbourne extends his streak of consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances. The outcome also keeps alive his pursuit of a historic third straight Australian Open title, a feat unmatched in the Open Era aside from Novak Djokovic.
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