Australia: Jannik Sinner once again showed why he’s one of the toughest competitors on tour, grinding through a strong challenge from fellow Italian Luciano Darderi to secure a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory in the Australian Open Round of 16. With this win, the world No. 2 and two-time defending champion has advanced to the quarterfinals in Melbourne for the fourth straight year — and for the ninth consecutive Grand Slam overall, keeping his charge for history very much alive.
From the opening point at Margaret Court Arena, Sinner dictated the pace, firing sharp groundstrokes and an improved serve that helped him rack up 46 winners and 19 aces — a strong indicator of his confidence on court. Darderi’s first-set resistance barely materialised, but the 23-year-old rallied in the third to force a tiebreak with aggressive baseline play. Sinner, however, seized control when it mattered, ripping seven straight points in the decider to close it out.
“It was very difficult. We are good friends off the court, that’s also a small difficulty to put away,” Sinner admitted, acknowledging the emotional and tactical challenge of facing a compatriot. “In the third set I had a couple of break chances… I’m very happy that I closed it in three sets.”
This triumph extends Sinner’s remarkable unbeaten record against fellow Italians to 18-0 on the ATP Tour and keeps him on course to match elite company — only a handful of men, led by Novak Djokovic, have won three consecutive Australian Open titles in the Open Era.
Despite pressure from Darderi, especially late in the third set, Sinner’s ability to stay mentally tough proved decisive. His next opponent will be either Ben Shelton or Casper Ruud, setting the stage for a blockbuster quarterfinal clash in the men’s singles draw.
Key Stats from the Match:
Score: 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2)
Aces: 19
Winners: 46
Straight-sets victories at AO 2026: Multiple — displaying consistency after a tough third-round win over Eliot Spizzirri.
Sinner now moves one step closer to a rare three-peat on the Melbourne hard courts, proving once more that even under pressure, his blend of power and precision is tough to handle.
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