Distressed Jannik Sinner holds off Holger Rune to reach Australian Open tennis QFs | ATP Tour

Australian Open

From distress to success, Sinner holds off Rune to reach AO QFs

World No. 1 claims third straight win over Dane

January 20, 2025

Top seed Jannik Sinner staged a remarkable mid-match physical recovery Monday to advance to the Australian Open quarter-finals after seeing off Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The World No. 1, who skipped practice before today’s match, next faces the winner of Australian No. 1 Alex de Minaur and 20-year-old American Alex Michelsen.

“This morning was a very strange morning, because I didn’t even warm up today,” said Sinner, when asked about his physical struggles. “I was trying to go on court as fit as I could. I knew in my mind already before the match that I would struggle today. I have to say that gamewise I played well today. I served very well. Quality shots which then gave me the confidence to fight on.

“It was for sure very, very tough. I knew in my mind also that he had some very long matches before this one, so I tried to stay there mentally. I just tried to stay connected with my service game, and then in return games I just tried to see what happens, but today the support meant so much to me. I really needed [the crowd] today.”

Struggling in Melbourne’s 32 degree heat, Sinner called a medical timeout – during which the tournament doctor took his pulse – after two gruelling service games midway through the third set.

At the previous change of ends, following a draining 10-minute game in which he saved three break points, Sinner sat on his bench holding an ice towel to his face as his right hand twitched uncontrollably.

The Italian still appeared physically drained after returning from off-court treatment, but he then began to move better as the set wore on. Aided by Rune’s 16 unforced errors, Sinner clinched the third set and then broke early in the fourth to reach the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park for the third time.

Such was Sinner’s recovery that his thunderous first serve in his first service game of the fourth set broke a metal ring affixing the bottom of the net to the court to provide tension. That led to a further 21-minute delay, during which both players headed off court for respite from the heat.

Sinner won 83 per cent of first-serve points to Rune’s 66 per cent. He was also tidier from the back court, hitting 35 winners and 35 unforced errors compared to Rune’s 31-54 mark.

“Of course, the time of the court with me and the doctor, we talked a little bit. It helped me today, and it also shows that this tournament has great organisation,” Sinner said.

Sinner improved to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Rune.