Jannik Sinner demonstrated neither fragility nor fortune in his latest match, and the only thing heating up on Monday was his impressive winning streak, which has now reached 18 consecutive victories at the Australian Open.
The two-time reigning champion secured a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory against compatriot Luciano Darderi, advancing to the quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive Grand Slam tournament.
Just two days prior, Sinner faced challenges with the sweltering heat and cramps during his afternoon match against No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri, gaining control only after the roof was closed.
In the cooler evening conditions, Sinner was in command until Darderi increased the pace in the third set. The second-seeded Sinner encountered missed match points during the 10th game on Darderi’s serve but elevated his play during the tiebreaker.
“I felt really good physically out there. Everything was fine today,” Sinner commented, having had limited practice time during his day off between the third and fourth rounds in Melbourne. “Let’s see what the next round brings.”
His next opponent will be a familiar one. No. 8 seed Ben Shelton triumphed over No. 12 Casper Ruud with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 during a night match at Rod Laver Arena.
Sinner has been victorious in his last eight encounters with the 23-year-old American, including their semifinal duel here last year.
“I have a lot more to accomplish here, and I have much to demonstrate,” Shelton stated. “I’ll be ready for it.”
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Towards the conclusion of his first official matchup against Darderi, Sinner needed to adjust his game to cope with the sudden acceleration of his opponent’s forehand.
Darderi managed to save two match points on his serve during the 10th game of the third set and secured the first two points of the tiebreaker. He had to halt for a moment before serving due to a baby crying in the crowd at Margaret Court Arena.
Dominance over fellow Italians
He failed to win another point thereafter. Sinner responded by winning the next seven points to clinch the match in 2 hours and nine minutes.
This victory extended Sinner’s unbeaten streak to 18 against other Italians on the tour.
“It was extremely challenging. We are good friends off the court,” Sinner shared. “In the third set, I had a few break opportunities; I couldn’t capitalize on them. I got a bit nervous, so I’m very pleased to have closed it out in three sets.”
Sinner recorded 19 aces, setting a personal best, and avoided any double faults. He also highlighted some minor adjustments in his play, including a focus on net play and diversifying his strategy.
During a tense hold in the third set, Sinner saved a breakpoint by redirecting the rally with a forehand drop shot, bending low to win a critical point. He maintained the game with a serve-and-volley.
“There’s still room for improvement, but I’m very satisfied with my comeback,” he said. “Now, for sure, the serve is a bit more consistent. I aim to approach the net more and be less predictable.”
The left-handed Shelton is expected to challenge Sinner, who is striving to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian titles.
Shelton has advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time in four years.
“I’m definitely a competitor. I’m lively on the court. I can’t wait for the enthusiastic crowds,” he remarked. “And here in Australia, there’s no shortage of that.”
Shelton mentioned that he’s a more focused player compared to 12 months ago and is building his confidence.
Shelton reaches 3rd Aussie Open quarters
“It’s what you look forward to the most in this sport,” he said. “It’s where I aimed to be. I wanted to give myself another opportunity. To leave it all on the court.”
An energized Shelton took center stage in the absence of Novak Djokovic, making it to his third Australian Open quarterfinal with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ruud.
Djokovic was expected to play in the late-night slot at Rod Laver Arena but received a walkover into the quarterfinals when his opponent Jakub Mensik withdrew due to injury from their fourth-round match.
This paved the way for American Shelton, who overcame a slow start to achieve a crowd-pleasing win over the 12th-seeded Norwegian Ruud.
Fans missing the ten-time Australian Open champion Djokovic filled the arena with shouts of “Go Novak!” throughout the match, which Shelton took in stride.
Shelton delivered 14 aces and unleashed a 228-kilometer-per-hour serve to conclude the match.
On the women’s side, No. 2 Iga Swiatek continued her pursuit of a career Grand Slam with a dominant 6-0, 6-3 victory over home qualifier Maddison Inglis, providing little for the center court crowd to celebrate on Australia Day.
Swiatek will next face No. 5 Elena Rybakina, the runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in 2023.