Australian Open | Djokovic, warrior Sinner turn up the heat on a steamy day

NEW DELHI: Talk of turning up the heat at the Australian Open. Saturday was full of drama, excitement, emotion and upheaval. First up was the marathon man Novak Djokovic, who turned the night session into his own theatre, defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to move into the fourth round. In the process, the 24-time Major winner became the first player to reach 400 wins in Grand Slam singles. On a scorching day, when the heat rule was applied during the morning session, defending champion Jannik Sinner was fortunate to survive his match against Eliot Spizzirri, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the fourth round. Battling intense heat, cramps and appearing close to collapse, Sinner looked down and out. His coach Darren Cahill urged him on, encouraging him at least to finish the third set. Then came the application of the heat rule, with the overhead shutters rolled over. While this was within the rules, social media buzzed with claims that organisers were being kind to Sinner, a favourite Down Under. “It was hot today. I started to cramp a little bit in the third set, which slowly went away. I know my body slightly better now, with a bit more experience, and I’m trying to handle certain situations better,” Sinner said. “I got lucky today. When they closed the roof, it took a little bit of time. I tried to loosen up, and it helped. I also changed the way I played certain points. That helped me today, for sure.”

If Sinner surviving the heat was one story, it was unusual to see Djokovic so flustered during his match. Known for his intense on-court focus, Djokovic crossed a line in the second set when, despite being in control, he struck a ball angrily that flew dangerously close to a ball kid near the net. Djokovic immediately realised his mistake and was fortunate to escape a code violation. The incident reminded fans of his infamous default at the 2020 US Open. Djokovic acknowledged his lapse. “I’m too stressed on the court very often. Too much tension at times. I would say patience is a big one. When we are younger, regardless of the area of life we are involved in, I think we want everything here and now,” Djokovic said. Speaking later to TV reporter Jim Courier, he came close to describing his own behaviour as “like a jerk.” Though apologetic, Djokovic has appeared more stressed than usual in Grand Slam matches of late. Emotion ran highest as Stan Wawrinka bowed out of the Australian Open, waving goodbye in a tearful farewell. The 40-year-old, who won the title in Melbourne in 2014, is set to retire this year and carries rich memories of an arena that brought him fame.