The outcome of an all-Italian clash between the second seed and the 22nd seed was never in question, and even more so considering the higher seed is yet to lose to any of its compatriots who have now defeated 18 of them.
Jannik Sinner continued his run at the Australian Open where he has won the title for the past two years and Luciano Darderi was never going to stop him in his bid to win a third.
Sinner won 6-1 6-3 7-6(2) to advance to the quarter-finals, where he will face proud Ben Shelton following the Americans’ dismissal of Casper Ruud.
The world No. 2 player played with consummate authority and showed no signs of the cramp problems he suffered in the heat of the previous round, but he seemingly faded a little in the third when Darderi stepped up his game and forced him into a tiebreak.
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“It was very difficult. We are good friends off the field, that is also a small difficulty to put aside,” Sinner admitted after his 2 hours and 9 minutes victory. “In the third set I had a few break opportunities, [but] I couldn’t use them… Then I got really tight, so I’m really happy I closed it in three sets.”
Sinner is now one match away from a potential blockbuster semi-final with 10-time champion Novak Djokovic, who will face Lorenzo Musetti in his quarter-final match.
The Italian’s mix of power and efficiency proved decisive in his straight-set victory as he finished with 46 winners, including 19 aces.
“We put a lot of work into it, especially with the service,” Sinner added. “We have changed the movement a bit and I definitely feel a bit more confident. There is still room for improvement, which is normal, but I am very happy with how I have come back in the new season. At the end of last season I served very well. [and] it is much more stable.”
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