Jannik Sinner’s match against Eliot Spizzirri at the 2026 Australian Open was suspended after the tournament implemented its Extreme Heat Policy. Sinner was spotted struggling just before the delay as he shared his concern with his team.
Why was Jannik Sinner and Eliot Spizzirri’s Australian Open match temporarily suspended?
On Friday, the tournament announced a rare shift in schedule for Saturday, January 24. With temperatures expected to push 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit), all outside court matches were scheduled to start at 10 am local time, while the matches on the main courts, including Rod Laver Arena, began at 10:30 am.
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Sinner and his American opponent took the court around 12:20 pm local time, with the temperature hovering around 31 degrees Celsius. As the match progressed, so did the temperature. The tournament had also provided a Heat Stress Scale to monitor the live conditions, issuing clear regulations for the readings.
As the Heat Stress Scale reached 5.0, the organizers temporarily suspended play on Rod Laver Arena to close the roof, providing much-needed relief to the players, ball kids, and spectators alike.
The AO Heat Stress Scale is above 5.0.
Play is suspended for all matches and practice on outside courts. The roofs on RLA, MCA and JCA will close and remain closed for the remainder of the match.
If onsite, please seek shade and apply cooling strategies.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026
Sinner and Spizzirri were locked in an intense battle, with the American clinching the opening set 6-4 and the two-time defending champion taking command in the second 6-3.
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The Italian appeared to be battling full-body cramps just before the match was halted at 1-3 in the third set. Speaking to his team mid-game, Sinner said, “I don’t know what to do.” The match resumed after roof closure.
