An action-packed Day 9 at Melbourne Park unveiled the last eight men to progress to the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday, among them two Italian players, defending champion Jannik Sinner and first-time AO quarterfinalist Lorenzo Sonego.
Following an enthralling round of 16, the final eight men standing in Melbourne locked their spots in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday; now they prepare for the nail-biting matchups upcoming.
Two Italian players made headlines at Melbourne Park in very different matches, both aiming to do deeper on Australian soil.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner survived a stern test in Dane Holger Rune, eventually surging to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win after three hours and 13 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.
“It was for sure very, very tough,” he said after recording a hard-fought win.
“I knew in my mind that also he had some very long matches, so I tried to stay there mentally. I tried to stay connected with my service game and then in return games see what happened.”
It seemed business as usual for Sinner when he rushed to close out the opening set 6-3 in 33 minutes, dictating play from the baseline.
However, as the second set wore on, Holger kicked a level, finding the rhythm and power he needed to push forward.
They stayed on serve until the world No. 13 converted the break in the eighth game and held to even the scoreboard at one set apiece.
Then, the contest turned into an uphill run for the brave Italian who battled against an always dangerous opponent and the health scare he experienced mid-match, visibly struggling with the heat on a day when temperatures reached over 30 degrees (86 Fahrenheit).
“This morning was strange. I didn’t even warm up today. I knew in my mind that I would struggle. Game-wise, I played well, served well, and hit some quality shots that gave me confidence to fight,” Sinner added.
Feeling unwell, he walked with some discomfort, and each game seemed to drain his energy, all while continuing to rally, fending off three break points and even generating moments of absolute brilliance like an epic 37-shot rally that left both contenders exhausted.
At one change of ends in the third set, he sat on his bench looking nauseous, then held an ice towel to his face with his right hand twitching uncontrollably.
It didn’t take long for him to request a medical time-out, proceeding to receive off-court treatment by the doctor.
Despite the physical distress, once play resumed, the 23-year-old regrouped, breaking the former world No. 4 in the eighth game, serving to claim the set 6-3, leading two sets to one.
Early in the fourth set, the Italian served, breaking the metal ring connecting the bottom of the net to the court, which delayed the match for 21 minutes.
When the players were allowed to return to the court, the world No. 1 quickly took control of play, breaking twice before closing out 6-2, advancing to his 10th Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The two-time major champion won 83 percent of the points on his first serve, converting four of eight break points.
In addition, he fired 35 winners against 35 unforced errors compared to Rune’s 31 and 54, respectively.
Defending a major title for the first time in his sixth appearance at the AO, Sinner will meet eight seed Alex de Minaur, who moved through his maiden quarterfinal at his home major by beating American Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3.
Meanwhile, world No. 55 Lorenzo Sonego made history on Monday, becoming the 6th Italian man in history to reach the quarterfinals at the AO after defeating American qualifier Learner Tien 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in two hours and 25 minutes at John Cain Arena.
“I think something changed in my mind,” Sonego remarked. “The mentality has improved. I think my tennis also has improved a lot.”
No. 21 seed Ben Shelton awaits the 29-year-old; the heavy-hitting American took the better of Frenchman Gael Monfils, who retired with a back injury when the young world No. 22 was leading 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 1-0.
Fellow American player and 2023 semifinalist Tommy Paul punched his ticket to the last eight, flying past Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, setting a clash against second seed Alexander Zverev.
On Sunday, the in-form German player ousted 14th seed Ugo Humbert in four sets.
Speaking on his next rival, Paul asserted: “I have massive respect for him. He’s someone I get along very, very well in the locker room and outside the courts.”
“I expect a very tough battle.”
Also on Sunday, a much-anticipated quarterfinal clash between 10th-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic and third seed Carlos Alcaraz, their eighth meeting on tour, was locked in.