Defending champion Sinner advances to the quarter-finals after a tense match filled with medical delays, leaving Rune “cooking” in the Australian sun

Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1 and defending champion, was on the brink of a shock exit from the Australian Open before a controversial Sinner Rune medical timeout helped save his hopes.

The 2025 tournament saw scorching heat, with temperatures climbing to 32C, leaving both Sinner and his opponent, Holger Rune, struggling under the intense conditions. After splitting the first two sets, Sinner appeared visibly unwell during the third, with shaking hands and a pale complexion. At this point, the doctor was called, and Sinner took a six-minute break off-court.

Rune, who had been performing strongly, described the situation as “cooking” in the heat, left to wait while his opponent received treatment. Although Sinner returned looking refreshed and won the third set, the timing of the break raised eyebrows.

Rune later admitted that he should have requested a break himself, acknowledging the toll the stoppage took on his momentum. “It was around 10 minutes, maybe even more. It was a bit brutal in the middle of the set,” Rune said, though he also noted that the delays added up throughout the match, with a 20-minute break when the net broke.

Sinner, reflecting on the timeout, expressed gratitude for the support he received. “It helped me, and I felt better when I returned to the court,” he shared, explaining that he had received medication to ease his symptoms.

Despite Rune’s knee issues, the delays did not help his cause, and Sinner won the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The Italian will now face Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals, with Sinner admitting that he struggled with health problems even before the match began.

“I knew I would struggle today,” he said, acknowledging his dizziness and the added pressure of the high-stakes match. “It helped me today that I got 20 minutes off the court. It was big luck to me.”

The match is bound to spark debate as Sinner’s medical timeout and the lengthy delays played a pivotal role in his victory, with Rune’s fans feeling frustrated by the timing and impact on momentum.