Jannik Sinner: ‘Knew in my mind I’d struggle today’, after gasping for breath, suffering trembling hands in 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win | Tennis News

Defending champion Jannik Sinner suffered acute dress but remarkably managed to return to court to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 against Holgar Rune on Monday. At one point, his hand could be seen tremoring wrapped inside a towel. Channel 9 reported that Sinner ‘struggled to breathe and his hands were trembling in between points as Holger Rune threatened his Australian Open throne on Monday.’
The World No.1 Sinner had taken the opening set 6-3 against the 13th seed, as the Dane struck back to win the second 6-3. In the third, the the Italian seemed to be coming apart physically and looked almost spent on Rod Laver Arena.

Jannik Sinner physically shaking during his match against Rune at Australian Open
He told his team he wasn’t able to ‘move to his left’
Visibly struggling and hasn’t been the same for the last two sets
Likely adrenaline combined with not feeling 100%pic.twitter.com/0RPDSxTI2T
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 20, 2025
“There are worrying signs for the defending champ,” commentator Brenton Speed said on Nine, as Sinner’s hands shook uncontrollably in between points.The temperature in Melbourne hovered around 32 degrees and according to Channel 9, ‘the mercury rises much higher out on court.’
Sinner went on to win the third set but the dress was prolonged as he took a medical timeout at 3-2. Todd Woodbridge, talking on Channel 9 said, “Have a look at him – he looks dressed, he doesn’t take water, there is no towel… he looks ill.”
“It looks like that Rune is the one with the more energy – no question about that,” Jim Courier added.
Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a forehand return to Holger Rune of Denmark during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. (AP)
Before heading out of court to get checked, he had his blood oxygen levels tested as the medical timeout lasted nearly 12 minutes. He looked legitimately confused about which direction to head out in, and Courier called him a “zombie walking across the court,” according to 7news.com.au.
“You start to wonder with this, if he didn’t carry some kind of a weird bug into the match,” Courier speculated. “We don’t know for sure. Pure speculation. But when they start doing those types of checks, that might be an indication that it’s not just fatigue…He is disorientated… it seems more than just the heat.”

We’d have been happy with a 50/50 share of today’s win, @janniksin!
90% is very generous of you.#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/8qXOnBW5MS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2025
Courier insed that the player hadn’t been particularly thinking straight as he failed to carry a shirt for a change that could’ve given him 10 more minutes.
“What is interesting is he didn’t take a shirt to go change,” the tennis great was quoted as saying 7news.
“He could have bought himself two more minutes of rest time if he had changed his shirt or shoes, because you get an extra couple of minutes if you do that. So he is not thinking clearly either, because he should have done that.”
Later after a long rally, he was seen leaning on his racquet to stay on his feet. It’s whenCourier recalled Sinner vomiting on court at a tournament in Beijing in October 2023 before going on to win the match and the tournament.

The performance of a champion.@janniksin battles his way into the quarterfinals, beating Holger Rune 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/ZXMo3eb6AA
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2025
“He has shown a hory of being able to play through some physical duress, but that was in cool conditions and best-of-three sets,” he said. “That is very different to what we are facing here.”
When Rune called for a trainer before Sinner served out the set, it gave the Italian more time. The whole court seemed to be in strife as the net broke causing a delay and both players went inside. Sinner would serve out the match re-energized thereafter.
“This morning was a very strange morning because I didn’t even warm up today, so just tried to go on court as fit as I could. I knew in my mind already before the match that I would struggle today,” he said in his on-court interview.

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