MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian Open saw a series of interruptions as both Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune required medical timeouts amid the sweltering heat, with temperatures rising above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). Notably, a peculiar 20-minute delay occurred at Rod Laver Arena after a powerful serve from Sinner caused the net to detach from the court.

In the end, Sinner considered these pauses beneficial, as they allowed him to regroup and ultimately secure a victory against the 13th-seeded Rune with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, advancing him to the quarterfinals. “I would prefer not to dwell too much on my feelings today. I was not in good shape and I think that was evident,” Sinner acknowledged. “I faced a tough opponent but also had to contend with my own physical struggles.”

As the top-seeded player, Sinner employed various tactics to cool down, including placing a cold towel on his face and pouring water down his neck. He demonstrated resilience, particularly after enduring a long break for medical attention during the third set and another wait in the fourth set due to the net issue. “The break was somewhat advantageous. I felt a bit better after I saw the doctor. My color appeared to be improving,” he reflected.

Sinner’s current form is impressive, having won 18 consecutive matches at the tour level since late 2024. Last season, he achieved a remarkable 73-6 record, capturing a total of eight titles; this marked the first time a man has won that many tournaments in a single year since Andy Murray in 2016. Among his accolades are his first Grand Slam titles, clinched at the Australian Open and the U.S. Open last year, although the latter was marred by an ongoing doping case. Sinner is scheduled for a hearing in April regarding the appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency over a previous steroid test incident.

In the women’s tournament, Madison Keys, who was the runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2017, triumphed over 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina with scores of 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Her next opponent will be Elina Svitolina, a decisive 6-4, 6-1 victor against Veronika Kudermetova. Additionally, Iga Swiatek, a five-time major champion, easily defeated “lucky loser” Eva Lys, claiming victory with a score of 6-1, 6-0 in just under an hour.

Swiatek’s performance has been exemplary, as she has dominated her matches, losing only 11 games total throughout the tournament. She will now face No. 8 seed Emma Navarro, who has had a more challenging path, progressing through four matches that included her latest hard-fought victory over No. 9 Daria Kasatkina, which required three sets.

As for Sinner, he is set to play against either No. 8 Alex de Minaur from Australia or the unseeded Alex Michelsen from the U.S. Another Italian, Lorenzo Sonego, also made his way into the quarterfinals, defeating American qualifier Learner Tien with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, marking a significant achievement in his career.

Sonego’s next match will be against No. 21 Ben Shelton, who advanced after 38-year-old Gael Monfils retired early in the fourth set due to injury, with Shelton leading at 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 1-0 at the time of the stoppage.

The upcoming men’s quarterfinals are set to feature two exciting matches: Novak Djokovic facing Carlos Alcaraz, alongside Alexander Zverev taking on Tommy Paul. Sinner noted that he arrived late at Melbourne Park and did not warm up before competing, leading to apparent discomfort during his second set. Signs of trouble first appeared when he stumbled while lunging for a shot, grabbing at his upper leg.

During a changeover at 3-all in the second set, Sinner showed signs of stress, heavily breathing and moving slowly off the court. Rune capitalized on the moment with a break of serve, taking the lead at 5-3 after Sinner committed a double fault.

The warm afternoon proved taxing for both players, who engaged in intense rallies that left them visibly exhausted. After a grueling 37-stroke rally in the third set, where Sinner ultimately secured the point with an impressive volley, both competitors collapsed momentarily, trying to catch their breath. During a break in the third, Sinner called for assistance, requesting refreshments while checking his pulse before heading for medical help.

When action resumed, Rune struggled to maintain his strategy, resulting in a break that allowed Sinner to take control. Rune then requested medical attention for his knee during a pause in play. “It was certainly a challenging match,” Sinner admitted, highlighting the difficulties posed by both his opponent and the conditions on the court.