The grim expression across Jannik Sinner’s face as he limped gingerly to the bathroom said enough. As play was briefly suspended in the overbearing Melbourne heat, the two-time defending champion was suffering from full-body cramps and at serious risk of also enduring one of the great Australian Open upsets.
The second seed survived thanks to the combined force of his mental toughness and a significant amount of luck, holding off a spirited challenge from Eliot Spizzirri to reach the fourth round with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win.
