ATP Tour
Injured sinner after cramp scare at Australian Open: ‘I’m lucky’
World No. 2 Spitzri survives cramps in four sets
January 24, 2026
2026 Peter Staples
Jannik Sinner defeated Eliot Spizzirri in four sets at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Jerome Coombe
Jannik Sinner admitted he was “lucky” after cramp threatened to overturn American Eliot Spizzirri at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Extreme heat policies and timely roof closures helped the two-time defending champions reposition themselves and advance to the fourth round in Melbourne. Sinner began cramping early in the first set when play was paused and the roof closed – a pause that proved crucial in turning his momentum around.
“I was lucky today,” Sinner said at the postgame press conference. “When they closed the roof, it took a little while. I tried to relax a little bit. That helped. … I also changed the way I was playing at certain points. That really helped me today.”
Sinner stayed on the sidelines for about 10 minutes while the roof closed. Although he was not allowed to receive medical treatment, he used the downtime to stretch and lower his body temperature.
“You can’t get treatment during that time, so I’m doing stretches,” said Sinner, the No. 2 player on the PIF ATP rankings. “I lay there for five minutes, trying to relax my muscles. It worked really well. Trying to get the body temperature down a little bit. That’s it. There’s not a lot you can do. The time went by really fast, but it definitely helped me.”
This wasn’t the first time cramps tested Sinner’s resilience. He was forced to withdraw in the third round of his title defense against Talon Grikspoor in Shanghai last October, and faced similar issues a few weeks later when he beat Alexander Zverev in three sets in the Vienna final.
Sinner believes that when these moments occur, there’s not always a clear explanation.
“I feel like sometimes there’s no real explanation,” Sinner said. “For example, last night I didn’t fall asleep the way I wanted to. The quality of my sleep wasn’t perfect…maybe it was; maybe it wasn’t. Either way, I try to feel my best every day [with] Recovery, everything is moving in the right direction. It can happen.
“I understand my body a little bit now. I hoped it would fade away, and it did. Today, that rule helped me. I had 10 minutes after the third set. So I tried to keep a good balance.”
The victory was reminiscent of Sinner’s fourth-round victory over Holger Ruhn at Melbourne Park last year, when he had to overcome physical discomfort on his way to the title.
Asked about his “luck” in dealing with these situations, Sinner – who aims to become just the second man in the Open era to win consecutive Australian Open titles after Novak Djokovic – pointed to preparation and mentality.
“I’m a guy who tries to put tennis first,” Sinner said. “I know I’ve been doing this for years. Deep down inside, I know how much hard work I’ve put in. Even though there might be some issues on the court, I feel like I’m very prepared.
“Of course, sometimes you can’t find a way out. Not everything goes your way. But as long as you have a positive mindset, more positive things are bound to happen. If you think in a negative way in court, it’s likely that more negative things will befall you. Even in moments like this, I try to stay calm.”
After a tough test, Sinner advanced to the fourth round for the fifth consecutive year. Next up, he will face fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in the first Lexus ATP showdown.
