Jannik Sinner about fear of cramps at Australian Open: ‘I was lucky’ | ATP tour | Tennis

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Sinner about fear of cramps at Australian Open: ‘I was lucky’

Number 2 in the world survives Spizzirri, cramp in four sets
January 24, 2026

Jannik Sinner admitted he was “lucky” after cramps threatened to derail his comeback victory in four sets over American Eliot Spizzirri at the Australian Open on Saturday.

The extreme heat policy and a timely closure of the roof helped the two-time defending champions reset and advance to the fourth round in Melbourne. Sinner began to tense up early on one set, just as play was suspended and the roof was closed – a break that proved crucial in swinging the momentum back his way.

“I was lucky today,” Sinner said at his post-match press conference. “When they closed the roof, it took some time. I tried to loosen up a little bit. It helped… I also changed the way certain points were played. That definitely helped me today.”

Sinner spent about 10 minutes outside the track as the roof closed. Although he was not allowed to receive treatment, he used the break to stretch and lower his body temperature.

“You can’t get treatment in that time, so I was stretching,” said Sinner, the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. “I lay down for five minutes and tried to loosen the muscles. It worked really well. I tried to get the body temperature down a little bit. That’s it. There’s not a lot of things you can do. The time went by pretty quickly, but it definitely helped me.”

It’s not the first time cramps have tested Sinner’s resilience. He was forced to retire in the third round of his title defense in Shanghai against Tallon Greekpoor in October last year, before battling through similar issues in a grueling three-set victory over Alexander Zverev in the Vienna final just weeks later.

Sinner believes there isn’t always a clear explanation when these moments occur.

“I feel like sometimes there are no real explanations,” Sinner said. “For example, last night I didn’t sleep the way I wanted. The quality of sleep wasn’t perfect… Maybe it was this; maybe it wasn’t. Anyway, I try to be in the best possible shape every day [with] recovery, everything is going in the right direction. It can happen.

“I know my body a little better now. I hope it will pass slowly, which was the case. Today the rule helped me. I also had 10 minutes after the third set. So I tried to keep a good balance.”

The win was reminiscent of Sinner’s fourth-round victory over Holger Rune at Melbourne Park last year, when he also faced physical discomfort on his way to the title.

Asked about his “luck” in navigating these situations, Sinner – who is aiming to become only the second man in the Open Era after Novak Djokovic to win three consecutive Australian Open titles – instead pointed to preparation and mentality.

“I’m someone who tries to make tennis the top priority,” Sinner said. “I know I’ve been doing that for years. In the back of my mind I know how much I work. I feel well prepared, even if there might be problems on the field.”

“Of course there will be days when you don’t find your way. It’s not that everything will go your way. But with a positive attitude, more positive things can certainly happen. If you think negatively in court, more negative things can most likely come your way. I try to stay calm even at a time like this.”

After passing a tough test, Sinner booked his place in the fourth round for the fifth year in a row. He will next face compatriot Luciano Darderi in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.