Sinner survives as Australian Open bakes in extreme heat

MELBOURNE, Jan 24 : Jannik Sinner battled back from the brink of a cramp-induced breakdown to keep his Australian Open title defence alive after extreme heat brought play to a halt on baking outdoor courts at Melbourne Park.

In a dramatic third-round match, Italian Sinner lost his first set since October against inspired American Eliot Spizzirri and was a limping wreck under a blazing sun at Rod Laver Arena.

However, the match swung in his favour when the tournament invoked its extreme heat policy, allowing the stadium's roof to shut and Sinner to rally for a dramatic 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 win.

Sinner, who will meet fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in the fourth round, said he was "lucky" to finish the last two sets under the roof after cramp affected first his legs and then his arms.

"At the end of the day, tennis is a very mental game. I just tried to play as calm as possible," he said before cutting short his on-court interview.

The heat shutdown halted outdoor matches for most of the afternoon but those on the main showcourts continued after the roofs were shut.

With the temperature forecast to hit a scorching 40 degrees Celsius (104F), the action got underway an hour earlier than usual to take advantage of cooler morning conditions.

Americans Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula capitalised on their early starts, beating Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-3 and Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3 6-2 respectively to set up a last-16 clash against each other.

Defending champion Keys, the ninth seed, and sixth seed Pegula are both Florida-based and had little fear of the heat.

Fourth seed Amanda Anisimova soon followed the duo into the fourth round with a 6-1 6-4 win over fellow American Peyton Stearns in the second match at Margaret Court Arena.

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