Martina Navratilova Surprised By Jannik Sinner’s Stoppage Under Australian Open Heat Policy

Last Updated:January 24, 2026, 11:54 IST

Martina Navratilova says that Jannik Sinner got a lucky break from the Australian Open heat policy, aiding his comeback victory over Eliot Spizzirri at Rod Laver Arena.

Jannik Sinner plays a forehand return to Eliot Spizziri (Picture credit: AP)

18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova has said that Jannik Sinner got a lucky break due to the Australian Open’s heat policy, which gave him a massive chance to come back into the match and pull off a four-set win against the United States’ Eliot Spizziri.

Sinner dropped the opening set to Spizzirri, took the second and then appeared on the brink in the third after being broken while struggling with cramps in the searing heat, prompting the chair umpire to suspend play under the heat rule.

After the incident, renowned tennis insider Jon Wertheim shared a photo on X showing the heat stress reading at its maximum level of five, backing the decision to suspend play.

“Sinner’s prayers answered ….we’ve hit 5," Wertheim tweeted on Saturday morning.

“A lucky break…," Navratilova replied.

When play resumed, Sinner’s movement improved, permitting him to take the third set 6-4 and deal a major setback to Spizzirri’s hopes of reaching the fourth round. The latter tried his very best to keep up with Sinner in the fourth set, but it was the defending champion who clinched the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

The third-round meeting between Sinner and Spizzirri at Rod Laver Arena stopped for about 10 minutes, permitting time for the roof to close.

It helped save Sinner, who was suffering cramp and wilting in the heat. With the roof shut, he pulled through 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 over a gruelling 3hr 45min.

“I struggled physically a bit today, as you saw. I got lucky with the heat rule; they closed the roof," Sinner said after the match.

His reward is a clash next with fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, the 22nd seed, who beat Russia’s Karen Khachanov in four sets.

Matches on outside courts remained suspended in the late afternoon, but organisers hoped they could get going again in the early evening.

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