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Sinner survives cramp, heat & Spizzirri at Australian Open

  • Posted: Jan 24, 2026

Jannik Sinner faced a massive test of his title defence Saturday at the Australian Open, but found a way to survive cramp, heat and Eliot Spizzirri 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 inside Rod Laver Arena for a place in the fourth round.

“Very happy for today. Obviously next match, let’s see what’s coming,” said Sinner, who will next face fellow Italian Luciano Darderi. “[We have] practised only once, so it’s not a lot. But very happy to have at least one Italian for sure in the quarters again in a Grand Slam. It’s great.”

With the match tied at one set all, Spizzirri broke for a 3-1 lead in the third set while Sinner clearly struggled with cramp, barely able to push up to serve or move. But the Australian Open Heat Stress Scale hit a 5, leading to a suspension of play for officials to close the roof.

After less than a 10-minute break, play resumed, but that short suspension proved critical. When play resumed, Sinner bounced back from the ropes and was able to claw to a three-hour, 45-minute victory.

“It was hot today. Started to cramp a little bit in the third set, which then after time it went slowly away. I know my body slightly better now with a bit of experience also, trying to handle certain situations a bit better,” Sinner said. “Got lucky today. At the point when they closed the roof, it takes a little bit time. Tried to loosen up a little bit. It helped. Changed a bit also the way of how to play certain points. That helped me today, for sure.”

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The former college tennis star at the University of Texas, Spizzirri was competing in the third round of a major for the first time and had never previously played in the Australian Open main draw. This was his first match against a Top-10 opponent.

For much of the match, the 24-year-old did not show any nerves. Spizzirri went blow for blow from the baseline with the four-time major champion, playing fearless tennis.

Sinner was far from perfect, making 51 unforced errors according to Infosys Stats. But he hit 56 winners, with his best often coming at the most critical moments

Spizzirri only converted six of his 16 break chances in the match, while Sinner won eight of his 11 break points. Spizzirri was just one of six in the third set, which helped Sinner battle through cramp to regain the advantage.

After the third set, players received a 10-minute break because of the tournament’s heat rule. Even then, Spizzirri continued to fight, taking a 3-1 lead in the fourth set.

But Sinner showed his class and composure to set a fourth-round encounter against fellow Italian Luciano Darderi. Their clash will be the first in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Darderi earlier in the day beat 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist Karen Khachanov 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The Italian had never advanced past the second round of a major before last year’s US Open, but made the third round at Flushing Meadows and now the fourth round at Melbourne Park.

The 23-year-old also beat Cristian Garin and Sebastian Baez earlier in the tournament. Darderi was 9-29 on hard courts entering the Australian Open.

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Fritz's aces all add up to a record mark

  • Posted: Jan 23, 2026

During the Australian Open, ATPTour.com will bring fans insight into the leaders of key statistical categories, showing how performances throughout 2025 all added up to successful seasons and the promise of more good times ahead in 2026.

Taylor Fritz has cemented his status as one of the game’s most dominant servers, firing a tour-leading 867 aces in 2025. The rest of the Tour ought to take notice, as Infosys ATP Data reveals that Fritz has been on a clear upward trajectory.

After striking 530 aces across 56 matches in 2021, Fritz has steadily climbed the leaderboard each season to where he is today, leading the pack.

Fritz’s aces per match, past five seasons

Year Aces Matches Avg. Pos.
2025 867 74 11.72 1st
2024 725 74 9.8 3rd
2023 692 77 8.98 2nd
2022 642 62 10.35 7th
2021 530 56 9.46 11th

“Every single time I step up, I’ll try to get an ace,” Fritz told ATPTour.com at the Australian Open. “Maybe there’s an exception that if conditions are really slow and the balls are worn out, I might be thinking where can I serve that gives me the best chance of starting the point if it’s not an ace. But I think I’m always stepping up to try to get a free point off the serve.”

Fritz’s dominance from the line was put on full display last year in Stuttgart, where the American went unbroken across 43 service games to lift the trophy. He crushed 45 aces that week and only faced four break points all tournament.

Does Fritz feel he has a better chance to fire an ace if the returner is standing close to the baseline or far back?

“It depends on the speed and the conditions. I’d say a pretty neutral position feels good,” Fritz said. “I feel people who stand up are very easy to ace, but if they get a racquet on it, then the return that comes back is much tougher to deal with.

“If they’re back, I feel they might return more, but the second shot feels much easier. So it’s tough to say.”

A 10-time tour-level titlist, Fritz reached a career-high No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings in November 2024, two months after he competed in his first major final at the US Open. In 2025, Fritz qualified for the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals for the third time.

See all stories in this series

Visit our Infosys ATP Stats section for more insights.

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Will an experience with Federer help Spizzirri against Sinner at Australian Open?

  • Posted: Jan 23, 2026

Saturday will be a day of firsts for Eliot Spizzirri at the Australian Open.

First third-round match at a major. First clash against a Top-10 opponent. First time competing inside Rod Laver Arena.

But the most important first is that this will be his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner.

“It would be an awesome experience,” Spizzirri said in his press conference before Sinner had advanced. “Going against one of the best players in the world and one of the toughest challengers in our sport. I would be grateful to be out there and do the best I can.”

This will be a new experience for the American, especially considering the stakes. But Spizzirri is not totally unfamiliar with such a big stage.

For much of his teens, Spizzirri would travel from Connecticut to New York three or four times per week to train at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open. He mostly trained indoors there, but Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis-specific stadium in the world, was always looming.

“You feel kind of like an ant in that environment, because there are so many seats and so many people looking at you,” Spizzirri told ATPTour.com. “I’ve only been in Ashe when it’s been pretty empty. It would be really fun to be in that environment in Laver if that is the case. I’ve played on some big courts and hopefully they’ve prepared me as much as possible for a moment like this.”

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The 24-year-old, who was a college star at the University of Texas, has played competitively in Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second stadium at the US Open. That court has a capacity close to the nearly 15,000 fans Rod Laver Arena holds. However, it will be far more packed and electric with Sinner on the other side of the net.

“I’m just trying to enjoy the moment on those courts,” Spizzirri said. “That’s what you work for, you train for and you live for.”

Although practice is far different from a match, Spizzirri has faced pressure inside a big venue. As a junior in 2019, he trained with Roger Federer inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Patrick Hirscht, Spizzirri’s coach since age 12 who still works with him at Solaris Racquet Club in Connecticut when he is home, remembers the moment well.

“The thing I remember most about it was just the sheer size when you first walk in and you start hitting and you’re like, ‘Wow’. You feel small out there,” Hirscht said. “But also how after five or six minutes, you sort of don’t even notice it anymore. The second thing was just how inviting and normal Roger was and how open he was to Eliot and just he didn’t seem like a superstar. I thought that was really cool and it really lessened the pressure of being out there. It felt like, ‘Hey, let’s just have a hit’. It was nice, it was special.”

<img alt=”Roger Federer and Eliot Spizzirri ” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/08/26/21/13/federer-spizzirri-us-open.jpg” />

The difference is that Sinner, unlike Federer, will be looking to do everything in his power to dismiss Spizzirri from the court as quickly as possible.

“We started to have a few conversations about it. I think first thing’s first is to be excited about it, because it is cool and when you’re a kid, you dream about these moments,” Hirscht said. “When you get them and you get in them, I think the first hurdle is to not forget you’ve always wanted that. It’s always been something you’re looking forward to. Be excited about it, because it’s very easy to be nervous and overwhelmed for something like that, which I’m sure he still will be a little bit anyway because everyone would be.

“But be excited about it, try to enjoy it and try to instil what we’re trying to do on the court out there because regardless who’s on the other side, try to do what we’re trying to get better at and give it a go.”

Spizzirri is in Melbourne with his traveling coach, Christopher Williams, who explained that even though World No. 2 Sinner will be on the other side of the net, the attention will not solely be on the Italian.

“There is always an awareness of our opponent’s game style and tendencies, but our preparation is usually pretty ‘Eliot focused’,&rdquo. Williams said. “We know the things we do well and when we execute them we compete to win at the highest level. With a match like the third round here, I’m paying a bit more attention to the stage and making sure we are comfortable in the Rod Laver environment so we can be at our best.”

Sinner said of Spizzirri: “Of course, I watched him play in the past couple of matches he played. Very aggressive, talented player. So let’s see what’s coming.”

Spizzirri is known by his colleagues as a tough out who is up for a battle on court. The No. 71 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings showed that in his second-round match against Wu Yibing, with their encounter lasting five sets. He will hope to put up another big fight against Sinner.

“That’s all I really can do. There’s not much more you can do than go out there and give your best effort,” Spizzirri said. “It’ll be a great test to see where my game is at and give it my best shot. Win or lose, we’re going to learn from it, go back to the drawing board and try to get better.”

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De Minaur calls it '50-50' as wedding plans with Boulter roll on

  • Posted: Jan 23, 2026

Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter might still be finalising the guest list, but one thing’s already locked in: the laughs.

The tennis power couple were all smiles on Friday as wedding chatter followed De Minaur almost as closely as his forehand. After his win over Frances Tiafoe at the Australian Open, De Minaur was quizzed courtside about just how hands-on he’s been with the wedding planning.

When former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jim Courier asked how involved he planned to be, De Minaur didn’t hesitate.

“Are you doubting me, Jim?” the Australian joked. “No, this is a 50-50 relationship! I’ve been involved so far with some of the decisions… When it comes to the details of napkins and flowers, that’s not my forte, so I’ll leave that to Katie.”

Judging by the laughter coming from Boulter in his player box, that division of labour seems to be working just fine.

With wedding planning under control — at least in spirit — De Minaur is rolling on court, reaching the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the fifth consecutive year. He’ll take a 3-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead into his clash with Alexander Bublik, hoping to keep both his title charge and his wedding-day goodwill alive.

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Benjamin Balleret: Working in the dark, winning in the light with half-brother Vacherot

  • Posted: Jan 23, 2026

Years ago, Valentin Vacherot would sometimes turn up at ATP Challenger events to simply watch his half-brother Benjamin Balleret compete.

The two Monegasques would hit a few balls together in the evening before Vacherot, still a schoolboy at the time with no real thoughts of turning professional, headed back to his studies. Tennis was something he enjoyed rather than something he chased, but today, the roles have reversed. It is now Balleret watching from the side of the court, guiding the 27-year-old Vacherot as he competes among the ATP Tour’s elite.

“He was just playing tennis for fun,” Balleret told ATPTour.com, reflecting on Vacherot’s teenage years. “He was going to school and playing from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with his coach. He did this until he was almost 18 years old. I would bring him to some Challengers in Italy to just watch my matches. It wasn’t serious, not really professional.”

What once felt like a casual introduction to life on Tour has evolved into one of the most compelling coach-player partnerships, built not solely on contracts but on family and belief. It is a relationship that made global headlines in Shanghai in October last year, when Vacherot stormed through qualifying to become the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion in series history (since 1990).

Ironically, Vacherot began that Shanghai run as the No. 204 player in the PIF ATP Rankings — the exact career-high ranking Balleret reached during his own playing days. Now 43, Balleret admits he never achieved the success he hoped for as a player, but the lessons learned have become central to his effectiveness as a coach.

Before committing full time to Vacherot in 2022, Balleret built a strong coaching resume, guiding Gilles Muller to a career-high World No. 21 and working with Pierre-Hugues Herbert across a four-year spell that included three Grand Slam doubles titles. Those experiences helped shape a philosophy rooted in consistency rather than quick fixes.

“Every player, every human is different,” Balleret said. “Some things for me as a coach are important: work, respect… It doesn’t matter who you coach, this has to be there. [You have to] work hard, respect and trust each other. Then everything outside of that, you have to adapt to every player.”

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After Vacherot completed four years of college tennis at Texas A&M — where he played alongside his cousin Arthur Rinderknech, whom he later defeated in the Shanghai final — the brothers formally joined forces. What followed were seasons of steady progress, difficult losses and continued emotional investment.

“Sometimes it was difficult because it took time before what happened in Shanghai,” Balleret explained, referring to the sacrifices. “Because he’s my brother, it was even more difficult when you don’t have the results you want, when you feel like you’re losing so much and you think that you shouldn’t lose, some bad losses.

“But we never stopped believing, working and trusting each other — that’s more important. Then Shanghai happened… I think everybody talks enough about this, but it was really unreal to go until the end.”

<img alt=”Valentin Vacherot, Benjamin Balleret” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/01/22/13/47/vacherot-balleret-coach-spotlight-2026.jpg” />Valentin Vacherot and Benjamin Balleret celebrate in Shanghai. Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images.

Coaching a family member presents its own challenges, particularly when the emotional lines between success and disappointment are thinner. For Balleret, learning when to step back as a brother and when to step in as a coach has been key to sustaining both the relationship and the results.

“I think it’s even easier sometimes to tell things to your brother,” Balleret said. “The most challenging part is the emotional part. When we win, I try to not be overwhelmed with the win because it’s also my brother and I’m so happy for him. It’s the same for a loss. Sometimes it’s difficult when you have a bad loss and not to be at the bottom, so I try to be really honest with him.

“I have this thing where I know him very well, better than almost everyone. So this has helped me, of course. But we’re also not spending 24 hours together… We try to spend quality time together. It’s pretty easy going. For most of the day, I’m his brother and not his coach.”

Shanghai also represented validation for a wider support team that had been carefully assembled over several seasons.

“Val and I, we tried for three years to put together a team that would help him reach his goals,” Balleret said. “That’s why he’s working with a fitness coach, Julien, his physio, Antoine, the mental coach, Isabelle. Also his girlfriend, Emily… We try to work all together and for all those people also, not only for Val and me.

“I’m so happy that Shanghai happened and that everybody’s rewarded with all the work in the dark. We were working in the shadows for so many years. Now Val is more in the spotlight, everybody’s more in the spotlight. We’re not looking for the spotlight, but you just feel good reaching the goal and being there with the top players and playing every week against those players.”

Vacherot showed the Shanghai title was no one-off. He quickly rose inside the world’s Top 40, reached the quarter-finals in Paris two weeks later and arrived at the 2026 Australian Open — his main-draw debut in Melbourne — as the 30th seed.

So where do they go from here? For Balleret, the focus remains unchanged.

“For this year, the goal for Val is to play the best players and to try to improve every week,” Balleret said. “Maybe he will play this guy and lose to this guy, but what can you improve to beat this guy next? That will be the main challenge this year for Val and I.”

More than 10 years after a young Valentin once watched from the stands without expectation, the tables have fully turned. Balleret is no longer the one being observed. Instead, he is the steady presence behind the scenes, guiding his half-brother through the brightest moments of a career that, not long ago, felt like nothing more than a game.

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