Melbourne [Australia], January 20: Defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner battled through physical struggles to secure a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Holger Rune in their fourth-round match on Sunday.
The world No. 1 had consulted the tournament doctor before the match and skipped practice, but despite grappling with Melbourne’s sweltering 32-degree heat, Sinner persevered. He called for a medical timeout during the third set to address his discomfort, which included an ice towel and pulse check. The Italian appeared drained at one point, but regained his strength and, aided by Rune’s 16 unforced errors, powered through to secure the win.
Reflecting on the match, Sinner admitted, “I was struggling physically, and it was very difficult today—both playing against a tough opponent and myself a little bit.” However, he clarified, “Injury-wise, I have nothing, just a bit of health-related struggles, but I’m good.” Sinner’s first-serve points were strong, winning 83 percent, and he registered 35 winners against Rune’s 31.
Meanwhile, American Ben Shelton also advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals after Gael Monfils retired due to injury. Shelton was leading 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 1-0 in a tense, 2-hour-56-minute match before Monfils called it quits, as his body struggled to keep up with the physical demands of the match.
Post-match, Shelton expressed admiration for the 38-year-old Monfils, saying, “He’s played so many long matches. I wanted to make it as physical as possible.” Shelton, who had long watched Monfils, added, “At 38 years old, I hope I’m still walking without crutches… I hope to create memories like that with my family watching on at that age.”
Both Sinner and Shelton are now set to play in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open.