Melbourne, Jan 20 (UNI) Defending champion Jannik Sinner faced a tough challenge in his Australian Open fourth-round match on Monday but managed to dig deep into both his physical and mental reserves, eventually securing a place in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Denmark’s Holger Rune.
The match, played under the sweltering Melbourne sun, saw the 21-year-old Italian battle through discomfort after a rocky start. Sinner admitted that he wasn’t fully fit entering the match but maintained his composure throughout, overcoming Rune’s resilience and adapting to the heat and physical strain.
The match started in Sinner’s favour, with the Italian winning the first set in just 33 minutes. Rune, the 13th seed, struggled to contain Sinner’s power and precision, with the Dane only ahead once on the Italian’s serve at 2-0. However, Rune began to find his rhythm, and after saving multiple break points, he fought back to level the match at 1-1 by taking the second set 6-3.
Despite Rune’s resurgence, Sinner found his bearings in the third set, which saw one of the match’s most memorable rallies. After saving multiple break points, Sinner took advantage of Rune’s mistakes, breaking the Dane’s serve to take control. Rune also received treatment for a thigh injury, but Sinner held his focus and surged ahead.
The fourth set proved to be the deciding one, with Rune’s resistance faltering. After a brief interruption due to a broken net, Sinner seized the momentum, breaking Rune’s serve twice before serving out the match with ease.
Sinner will next face either Australia’s Alex de Minaur or the rising American talent Alex Michelsen in the quarterfinals.
The Italian’s victory signals a continued strong defence of his title, but it was clear from his performance that he will need to remain at his best to retain the trophy he first claimed last year.
