Jannik Sinner rebounds in style to reach Australian Open quarterfinals

MELBOURNE, Australia—Jannik Sinner showed no ill effects from a physically challenging third round at the 2026 Australian Open, rebounding to post a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) win over Luciano Darderi to reach a third straight quarterfinal in Melbourne.

Sinner struggled with cramps through four sets against unseeded American Eliot Spizzirri but eased past his 22nd-seeded countryman to win an 18th straight Australian Open match in two hours and nine minutes on Margaret Court Arena on Monday.

“Yesterday was a very, very easy day for me,” Sinner said of his recovery from the Spizzirri match. “Just played for nearly half an hour. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely a bit different when there is no sun, even if it's quite warm outside still.

“But yeah, it's also different opponent. Everything is different in every day. So, I felt quite good out there physically. Everything was okay today. Let's see what's coming in the next round.”

The No. 2 seed captured his day off for his official YouTube channel, taking fans through a day at the practice courts followed by an evening out to dinner in anticipation of his evening match on MCA.

“For me, every court here is very nice,” Sinner said of playing in Melbourne Park’s second biggest show court. “I'm very happy also to go on Margaret Court. I felt like the third set was a bit different because it also got a bit later. The court slows down a bit. From 7:30 on it's a bit different. But this I feel like it's in every court. I don't know how the outside courts are, for example, without the stadiums around.

“But all things considered, it's more or less the same. Of course, it might feel a bit faster because the court itself is a bit smaller than Rod Laver. The same thing in Roland Garros if you play in Chatrier or in Lenglen. I feel like it also depends how much space you have around to move. But I didn't feel so much difference, to be honest.”

Playing Darderi for the first time in an official match, he struck a clean 46 winners to just 16 unforced errors and broke serve four times while saving all six break points against his own serve over three sets. Though Darderi made a strong push in the third set, Sinner ultimately proved too strong.

“Of course, we try to prepare the match in one way,” Sinner said. “Things got very different from the third set on, for example. He was serving much better. I couldn't return as much as in the first couple of sets.

“Yeah, I mean, of course you try to understand where he is going to play. Of course, there is a certain percentage. If you play cross-court or you play down the line, you know a little bit. In the same time, if I would lose the first couple of sets, I also would change like he did today. It gets a bit more unpredictable.”

Sinner will next face the winner of the final fourth-round match between No. 8 seed Ben Shelton and No. 12 seed Casper Ruud. If Shelton advances, seven of the Top 8 seeds will have made the quarterfinals in the men’s draw.