Jannik Sinner has barely survived the extreme heat test and thus defends his early exit from the Australian Open in the heat of Melbourne.
During the dramatic third set of his match against, the Italian star lost his first set due to a cramp-induced breakdown. He was seen limping in the scorching heat at Rod Laver Arena.
As he struggled to run between points, a turning point came that changed the dynamics of the match. The authorities decided to stop the match as it was impossible to play the match in the sweltering heat.
Taking advantage of the extreme heat policy, they closed the roof of the stadium for the remainder of the match, followed by an 8-minute intermission.
The break helped Sinner regain his strength and control himself in the players’ locker room.
Once the temperature dropped, the 24-year-old tennis player fought back and won the match with a final score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
“I started to get a little cramp in the third set, but that slowly went away over time. I know my body a little better now, with a little experience, and try to handle certain situations a little better,” said Sinner
He added: “[I] got lucky today. The moment they closed the roof – it takes some time – I tried to loosen up a bit. It helped.”
Sinner’s commendable resilience against the extreme heat also helped him keep his Australian Open title defense alive.
The temperature reached 38 degrees Celsius, two below the predicted maximum temperature. Competitions on the outdoor courts will not resume before 7.15pm AEDT.
