Why Jannik Sinner's match was suspended at Australian Open amid cramps vs. Eliot Spizzirri
Why Jannik Sinner's match was suspended at Australian Open amid cramps vs. Eliot Spizzirri originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jannik Sinner found himself in an unexpectedly difficult match at the Australian Open daytime Saturday in Melbourne (and Friday night viewing in the United States).
The American, Eliot Spizzirri, took the first set and was giving Sinner everything he could handle.
The heat was getting to Sinner, too, and he was cramping.
The match was suspended midway through the third set, tied up at 1-apiece, and tennis fans weren't thrilled.
MORE: What to know about Sinner's third-round opponent, Eliot Spizzirri
Why was Jannik Sinner's match suspended vs. Eliot Spizzirri?
Sinner was playing in the daytime portion of action on Saturday in Australia, and it was hot and the roof was open.
The heat index reached a 5, which meant the roof had to be closed.
To close the roof, play has to stop.
It came with incredibly fortunate timing for Sinner, who was cramping, and didn't allow Spizzirri to immediately take advantage of those cramps.
What a bailout for Sinner with the heat index getting to a 5 and forcing a stop in play + roof to close
Spizzirri is livid and I get it completely
Jannik can’t move man. He’s DYING out there
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) January 24, 2026
There were definitely not a lot of tennis fans on social media OK with the fact that the match was stopped and would allow Sinner to recharge.
Spizzirri still seems to have a chance to do something special, but he'll have to do it with the roof closed now.
