Jannik Sinner was lucky to keep his Australian Open title defence alive in the extreme Melbourne heat…
The two-time defending champion was trailing American underdog Eliot Spizzirri, 4-6, 6-3, 1-3 on Rod Laver Arena.
Barely able to walk due to cramps, Sinner looked to be on the verge of an all-time Grand Slam shock.
However, as the Heat Stress Scale hit five, the Italian was allowed to leave the court and recover.
Were the Australian Open wrong to allow Jannik Sinner time off court when he was cramping?
When he returned, the momentum had swung back in his favor.
Eventually, Sinner defeated Spizzirri, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, surviving a major scare to book his place in the fourth round.
While Sinner was fighting tooth and nail to stay alive in the Australian Open draw, his main title rival, Carlos Alcaraz, was practicing ahead of his fourth-round match with Tommy Paul.
But how long did Alcaraz last in the extreme heat?
Carlos Alcaraz only practiced for 40 minutes in the heat
As reported by Marca, the world number one didn’t spend any longer than necessary on the practice court.
Turning up to practice 20 minutes later than expected, Alcaraz began hitting balls with his coach, Samuel Lopez, and brother Alvaro Alcaraz.
The heat certainly affected his practice, and Alcaraz was seen reaching for the cold water towel on several occasions.
Lopez kept reminding Alcaraz to hydrate, not wanting to risk anything ahead of his fourth-round match.
After 40 minutes of practice, Alcaraz and co. left Court 16, heading inside to escape the extreme heat.
In comparison, Sinner spent three hours and 45 minutes on Rod Laver Arena today.
What’s the weather forecast for Carlos Alcaraz’s next match?
Luckily for Alcaraz, the weather is expected to cool dramatically in time for his fourth-round match.
After highs of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, the temperature is unlikely to exceed 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.
Those conditions are far more comfortable…
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There is more hot weather on the horizon, though, as Tuesday, January 27, quarterfinal day, could be even worse than Saturday’s scorcher.
Highs of 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit) are being predicted. (Data from Apple Weather).
Carlos Alcaraz and Tommy Paul’s head-to-head record
While the weather dominated the headlines on Saturday, Alcaraz hopes his tennis will be the story of the day on Sunday.
Looking to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals for the third year in a row, Alcaraz will play the 19th seed, Paul.
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2025 French Open – QF | Carlos Alcaraz | Tommy Paul | 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 |
| 2024 Olympics – QF | Carlos Alcaraz | Tommy Paul | 6-3, 7-6 |
| 2024 Wimbledon – QF | Carlos Alcaraz | Tommy Paul | 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2023 Cincinnati Open – 3R | Carlos Alcaraz | Tommy Paul | 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 |
| 2023 Canadian Open – QF | Tommy Paul | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 2023 Miami Open – 4R | Carlos Alcaraz | Tommy Paul | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2022 Canadian Open – 2R | Tommy Paul | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 |
They’ve met seven times on the ATP Tour, and Alcaraz leads the head-to-head 5-2.
After losing two of their first three matches, the Spaniard won four in a row.
Alcaraz won their last Grand Slam meeting at the 2025 French Open, defeating Paul in straight sets to qualify for the last eight.
Whether he can repeat the feat in the fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open remains to be seen.
Alcaraz and Paul will play for a spot in the quarterfinals on Sunday, January 25.
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