“Sometimes there are no real explanations”: Jannik Sinner on his battle with heat and cramping
Despite reaching the fourth round, Jannik Sinner admitted to significant physical uncertainty under the Melbourne sun. “We don’t know” if the heat will always be a struggle, he remarked, adding others “I don’t know”, regarding if his quality of sleep was to blame for the mid-match cramps;
Jannik Sinner, Australian Open 2026 | © PsNewz
Jannik, tough conditions today. Now a round of 16 against someone who has trained a lot with you in the off-season. How do you see your next matchup?
Jannik Sinner: Very happy for today. Obviously next match, let’s see what’s coming. Practiced only once, so it’s not a lot. But very happy to have at least one Italian for sure in the quarters. In a Grand Slam, it’s great.
Really hot out there to begin the match. What were you feeling and dealing with physically out there?
Jannik Sinner: It was hot today. Started to cramp a little bit in the third set, which then after by 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. I 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.
What particularly about Eliot’s game gave you trouble today, and how did you adjust specifically?
Jannik Sinner: I felt like he was moving very well, especially with the backhand not missing barely any shots. Felt like he had a great balance of how much he should go for. Started to move around the ball really well. After, I changed a bit in the rhythm and also the pace a little bit, which helped me to get into points in different ways. Great, great player. Have to give him a lot of credit coming here first time playing in Australia, playing this level. It’s great. Seems like a good guy. I wish him obviously only the best.
The quality of sleep was not perfect this night. Maybe it was this; maybe not.
This has been something that has happened to you a few times in matches over the last couple of years where you have started to cramp in these hot conditions. What have you done to learn about it and to try to prepare for it? Can you prepare for it in the off-season? Do you go for some warm-weather training?
Jannik Sinner: We go twice in a row to Dubai for a reason and also for the weather conditions. This year was not as warm as it was last year. I feel like sometimes there are no real explanations. For example, this night I didn’t sleep the way I wanted to. The quality of sleep was not perfect. Maybe it was this; maybe not. Regardless on that, I try to be in the best possible shape every day. Recovery, everything going in the right direction. It can happen. I know my body a little bit better now. I hope that it goes slowly away, which was the case. Today with the rule helped me. I had also the 10 minutes after the third set. Having a good balance and having a right way to play against him helped me today, for sure.
As someone else who is also a redhead with pale skin who struggles in the heat, is it a sign it’s always going to be tough for you on some level genetically or if it’s something you can catch up to other people, just the hand you were dealt in life?
Jannik Sinner: No, we don’t know. For sure, as I said before the tournament, physically I feel good. Mentally also. The only thing at times you can do is to fight. Let’s see. It’s an area where I would love to improve. There is a reason why I go to the gym every day, trying to get better. But in the same time, every player has his own small problems. Maybe this is mine. You don’t know. But for sure there is room to improve, which I’m quite sure we will do everything possible to improve in a positive way. Then we see how it goes.
If you are in a court thinking in a negative way, most likely more negative things can come towards you.
You mentioned there you think you got lucky today. I remember you saying that after playing Holger here last year, as well. How concerned are you that your luck might run out?
Jannik Sinner: This I don’t know. I’m someone who tries to put tennis in the highest priority. I know that I’m doing that since years now. In the back of my mind I know how much I work. I feel well-prepared even if some problems could happen potentially on the court. Of course, there are going to be days where you don’t find a way. It’s not that everything is going your way. But with a positive mindset, for sure more positive things can happen. If you are in a court thinking in a negative way, most likely more negative things can come towards you. I try to stay calm even in a moment like this. If he keeps playing the way he was playing, maybe I was dropping a little bit, maybe my tournament was over today. I don’t know. Honestly, that’s it.
What actually happened in that eight minutes when you went off the court when the roof was closed? What did you do to try to recover?
Jannik Sinner: Nothing. I was alone. There was no treatment. You cannot have treatment in that time. So I was stretching. I laid down for five minutes, trying to loosen up the muscles. It worked really well. Trying to get the body temperature a bit more down. That’s it. There are not many things you can do. Time passed quite fast, but it helped me, for sure.
No ice or anything like that?
Jannik Sinner: No. There is a room next to the court when you go out, there’s just a treatment bed, and that’s it.
