A chorus of respected tennis voices has sounded the alarm over Jannik Sinner's physical wellbeing as the Italian star continues his quest for a historic third consecutive Australian Open championship. The 24-year-old secured his place in the semi-finals with a straight-sets victory over American Ben Shelton on Wednesday night, but his performance was overshadowed by visible signs of distress that have experts worried.
Observations from the Commentary Box
During the first set of his quarter-final match, seasoned observers noted troubling signs from the world number two. Former champion Jim Courier told broadcast viewers that Sinner "doesn't look quite normal yet" as early as the third game. Australian great Lleyton Hewitt echoed these concerns, remarking that the Italian "did look a little distressed at times" during the opening exchanges.
Commentator Todd Woodbridge provided specific details, pointing out that Sinner was "breathing heavily" despite the absence of extended rallies. "It's not like they've played 30-shot rallies," Woodbridge noted, highlighting the unusual nature of the physical struggle so early in the match.
A Pattern of Physical Challenges
These concerns follow a dramatic third-round encounter where Sinner was nearly incapacitated by severe cramps as temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius. The situation became so dire that he appeared certain to lose against Eliot Spizzirri before receiving a fortunate reprieve when play was suspended to close the roof under the tournament's extreme heat policy.
Speaking candidly after his quarter-final victory, Sinner admitted to adopting a cautious, day-by-day approach to his physical recovery. "I was struggling. We go day by day," he told Courier during his on-court interview. "I had a great win a couple of days ago against fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, which was a good confidence boost. Today I felt like I was moving again a little bit better. I feel stronger physically again, so I'm very happy."
The Djokovic Challenge Awaits
Sinner now faces his toughest test yet: a semi-final showdown against the legendary Novak Djokovic this Friday. The Serbian advanced after his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, retired while leading two sets to love due to an upper leg injury. This sets up a blockbuster clash between two of the tournament's top seeds.
This will mark the fifth Grand Slam semi-final meeting between Sinner and Djokovic, with the Italian having won their last three encounters, including notable victories at last year's French Open and Wimbledon tournaments. However, Sinner remains acutely aware of Djokovic's extraordinary record in Australia, where the 38-year-old has claimed ten major titles dating back to 2008.
"If you want to win, you have to play the best," Sinner acknowledged. "We are so lucky to have Novak here playing incredible tennis with his age. We play for you guys but we also play for us... hopefully it's going to be a great battle, but I know it's going to be very, very difficult."
The Final Four Line-Up
With the quarter-finals complete, only the top four seeded players remain in contention at Melbourne Park. World number one Carlos Alcaraz will face fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final, ensuring that both matches feature the tournament's highest-ranked competitors. As the tennis world watches closely, the biggest question surrounding Sinner's campaign remains whether his body can withstand the immense pressure of chasing history against the sport's most accomplished champion.
