Will his experience with Federer help Spizzri against Sinner at the Australian Open? | ATP Tour

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Will his experience with Federer help Spizzri against Sinner at the Australian Open?

ATPTour.com spoke to Spizzirri’s coach ahead of his biggest tournament to date

January 23, 2026

Saturday will be the day Eliot Spizzirri makes his Australian Open debut.

First Grand Slam third round match. First meeting with a top ten opponent. First time playing inside Rod Laver Arena.

But most importantly, it will be his first Lexus ATP clash with two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” Spitzri said at a news conference before Sinner advanced. “Going against one of the best players in the world and one of the toughest challengers in our sport. I’m just excited to be out there and do my best.”

This will be a new experience for Americans, especially given the stakes. But Spitzri isn’t completely unfamiliar with such a big stage.

For much of his teenage years, Spizzri traveled from Connecticut to New York three or four times a week to train at the USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open. He spends most of his time training indoors there, but Arthur Ashe Stadium, the world’s largest dedicated tennis stadium, always looms.

“You feel like an ant in that environment because there are so many seats and so many people are looking at you,” Spitzri told ATPTour.com. “I’ve only been there when Ashe was empty. If that’s the case, it would be a lot of fun to be in that environment at Laver. I’ve played on some big courts and hopefully they’re as prepared as possible for a moment like this for me.”

The 24-year-old was a college star at the University of Texas and played at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second venue for the U.S. Open. The stadium’s capacity is close to that of Rod Laver Arena, which can accommodate nearly 15,000 fans. However, the game will be even more crowded and exciting if Sinner is on the other side of the net.

“I just want to enjoy the moment I’m on the court,” Spitzri said. “That’s what you work, train and live for.”

Although training is much different than competing, Spitzri faces pressure in a big venue. In 2019, as a junior, he trained with Roger Federer at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Patrick Hirscht, who has been Spizzirri’s coach since he was 12 and still works with him at the Solaris Racquet Club in Connecticut when Spizzirri returns home, remembers that moment vividly.

“The biggest thing I remember is when you first walk in and start hitting, the sheer size of it, you’re like, ‘Wow.’ You feel so small,” Hecht said. “But after five or six minutes, you don’t even notice it anymore. The second thing is how engaging and normal Roger is and how open he is to Elliott, it’s just that he doesn’t look like a superstar. I think that’s really cool and it really takes the pressure off of being there. It’s like, ‘Hey, let’s take a shot.’ It’s nice and special.”

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The difference is that Sinner, unlike Federer, will do everything in his power to get Spitzri off the court as quickly as possible.

“We started having some conversations about it. I think the first thing is to be excited about it because it’s cool and when you’re a kid you dream about these moments,” Hecht said. “When you get them and get into it, I think the first hurdle is not forgetting that you’ve always wanted it. It’s always been something you look forward to. Be excited about it because it’s easy to get nervous and overwhelmed with something like this, and I’m sure he’ll still be a little nervous no matter what because everyone does.

“But to be excited about it, try to enjoy it and try to instill what we’re going to do on the field because no matter who the other team is, try to do the things we want to do better and give it a try.”

Spizzri, who is in Melbourne with his traveling coach Christopher Williams, explained that although the world’s second-most sinner will be on the other side of the net, attention will not be solely on the Italian.

“We always have an idea of ​​our opponent’s playing style and tendencies, but our preparation is usually ‘Elliott-centric,'” Williams said. “We know the things we’re good at and when we execute those things, we compete at the highest level to win. “For a game like the third round, I’m going to be more focused on the stage and making sure we’re comfortable in Rod Laver’s environment so we can perform at our best. “

“Certainly, I’ve watched him play the last few games,” Sinner said of Spitzri. “Very aggressive, talented player. So let’s see what happens next.”

Spitzri is considered by his colleagues to be a tough guy who is always ready for a fight on the court. The player ranked 71st in the PIF ATP Live Ranking proved this in his second round match against Wu Yibing, which lasted five sets. He hopes to have another big fight with Sinner.

“That’s all I can really do. There’s not much you can do other than go out there and try your best,” Spizzieri said. “It’s going to be a good test to see where my game is and try my best. Win or lose, we’re going to learn from it, go back to the drawing board and try to get better.”