Three Italians in the round of 16 of the Australian Open, it had never happened before .
Yet another page in the history of Italian tennis has been written in recent years, but what a struggle for Jannik Sinner who also has to overcome cramps in addition to the American Eliot Spizzirri on the Rod Laver Arena.
The Azzurri are suffering from the extreme heat and temperatures exceeded 40 degrees: the heat rule introduced this year is fundamental, according to which, once certain parameters that influence heat stress are exceeded (those taken into consideration are air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed), the organisers are obliged to close the roof and suspend matches on pitches without a covering .
The roof was closed just as Jannik, tied at one set and down 3-1 in the third, was suffering from cramps all over, unable to move, and there were fears of his retirement . At the same time, the roof was closed on the court hosting Musetti's match, and matches on the other uncovered courts were suspended.
Sinner thus had 10 minutes to recover and returned to the court in less extreme conditions. The pain hadn't completely gone away, but Jannik, with a display of heart and endurance, asserted his clear superiority and won, overturning a 1-3 deficit in the fourth set: 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 was the final score in 3 hours and 42 minutes.
In the round of 16, the world number 2 will face Luciano Darderi, who achieved the feat of the day by defeating the Russian Karen Khachanov in four sets with a score of 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 .
Lorenzo Musetti also secured his spot in the round of 16, after a tough battle with the fearsome Czech Tomas Machac, in which the world number 5 prevailed with class and composure, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in nearly four and a half hours. Musetti will face Taylor Fritz, who defeated a resurgent Stan Wawrinka in four sets, still capable of hitting the big stage at the tender age of 41.
