Winning a Grand Slam title is not meant to be easy, but Jannik Sinner had to dig deep into his physical and mental reserves at Australian Open 2025 on Monday to keep his title defence on track.
MORE: All the scores from Day 9 at AO 2025
In hot, humid conditions, the Italian was struggling midway through his fourth-round match with Holger Rune of Denmark. But after medical timeouts and even a lengthy break for a broken net, he found a way to win, his 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory setting up a quarterfinal against either Australia’s big hope Alex de Minaur or young American Alex Michelsen.
“It was for sure very, very tough,” an exhausted Sinner said. “I knew in my mind that also he had some very long matches, so I tried to stay there mentally. I tried to stay connected with my service game and then in return games see what happened.”
MORE: AO 2025 men's singles draw
Sinner hinted that he had begun the match feeling less than 100 per cent.
“This morning was a very strange morning because I didn’t even warm up, I was trying to go on court as fit as I could,” he said. “I knew in my mind before the match that I would struggle. Game-wise I played well today, I served well. The time off the court, me and the doctor, we talked a little bit, it helped me today.”
There was no sign of the pain that was to come when Sinner, who won his first Grand Slam title here last year, took the first set in 33 minutes. Rune, the 13th seed trying to become the first Danish man to make the last eight in Melbourne, was ahead on the Italian’s serve only once, at 2-0, such was the power and precision of his game.
Sinner was wrapping an ice towel around his neck like a scarf at every change of ends but he still looked in control in the early stages of the second set, holding comfortably and forcing two break points in the fifth game. But Rune saved them both courageously and the 21-year-old began to get a foothold in the match, varying the pace, making Sinner play an extra ball, making him work even harder.
At 4-3, Rune had his chance. Sinner suddenly looked vulnerable and though he recovered from 0-30 to 30-30, a backhand error and then a double fault handed Rune the break, which he duly converted to level, while Sinner headed off for a long bathroom break.
The third set was a mini epic, and the third game alone a stone-cold classic. Having saved one break point, Sinner was facing another and looked out of it as he loped back to chase a clever lob from Rune. But a high lob bought him some time and when Rune carved a slow smash from the baseline, Sinner took advantage, eventually following a drop shot with a forehand drive volley on the 37th shot of the rally.
Both men were bent double with hands on their knees in the middle of the court but Sinner still had work to do, saving another break point with an ace to finally move ahead again at 2-1. Still Rune had another chance to break, at 2-2, but again Sinner saved it with an ace.
At 3-4, the set turned when Sinner, looking revitalised, snatched a break of serve at the second opportunity when Rune netted a backhand. Rune then required treatment for a right thigh issue but Sinner held his concentration, serving out to love to move up two sets to one.
A Rune bathroom break allowed Sinner some rest and the Italian then caught another break when, at 1-0 to the Dane in the fourth set, one of his serves broke the screw peg that connects the bottom of the net to the court.
The 21-minute break allowed both men to take a breather and for Sinner to consult his coaching team, and when they returned, it was Sinner who looked the fresher, breaking for 2-1 and again for 5-2, Rune’s resistance finally wilting in the heat.
The Italian served it out with ease to take his place in the last eight, his vigorous fist pump telling its own story.