Sinner tested by impressive Schoolkate before reaching Australian Open third round in style
The world No 1 came through 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 against Tristan Schoolkate on Rod Laver Arena. He’ll face American Marcos Giron in the next round
Jannik Sinner, Australian Open, 2025 © Psnewz
Defending champion Jannik Sinner overcame a difficult start to come through against home qualifier Tristan Schoolkate, beating the Australian 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 to return to the third round of the Australian Open.
Ranked 173rd in the world, Schoolkate gave an excellent account of himself on one of the biggest stages in tennis as he capitalised on a slow start from the world No 1 to move a set up and galvanise the home fans inside Melbourne Park’s biggest court.
early struggles give way to comfortable win for sinner
Schoolkate broke to love in the tenth and final game of the opening stanza as Sinner conceded his first set of the tournament. Indeed, it was the first set the Italian had lost since his title run in Shanghai back in October, an extraordinary run run lasting 106 days.
Sinner struggled to read his opponent’s serve across the opening stages of the contest. It took him 80 minutes – and until the seventh game of the second set – to earn his first break point. But he took it with aplomb, stroking a beautiful forehand winner down the inside line to seal the crucial break to love and puncture the building atmosphere inside Rod Laver Arena.
Once the floodgates were open, the breaks then came thick and fast for the world No 1. After safely serving out the second set, Sinner broke twice either side of comfortable holds to move rapidly into a 4-0 lead in the third.
Another break in the final game saw Sinner sprint into a 2-1 lead, and the trend continued in the fourth set with the Italian breaking early again as Schoolkate’s struggles on serve continued.
Brief respite came for the Australian in the form of a morale-boosting hold in the fourth game of the final set, before earning another two holds to steady the ship towards the end of the match.
But there had long been only one probably winner, and Sinner confidently served out a testing win to ensure safe passage back into the third round in Melbourne.
“different feeling” for sinner as defending champion
The world No 1 is defending a Grand Slam title for the first time in his career, having so memorably won his maiden major in Melbourne twelve months ago.
“It’s definitely a different feeling,” Sinner told John McEnroe in his on-court interview when asked about this.
“So many beautiful moments on and off the court happened for me here in this beautiful place. I take it as a chance to hopefully do it again.
“But it’s still a very long way to go. We go day by day. Seeing my level today, we know I can improve. Hopefully I can show this in the next round and it’s going to be a great tournament for me again.”
Having come through against the perennially dangerous Nicolas Jarry in the first round, Sinner will next face American Marcos Giron as he progresses to the third round of the Australian Open for the fourth consecutive year.
There will be greater challenges down the road for the Italian, and he is yet to hit peak form in this year’s tournament. But any signs of early-season rustiness or added pressure as defending champion are nowhere to be seen.
Sinner remains well on track to claim his third Grand Slam title down under. The mantle lies very much with his closest rivals to prise the title from his hands, because the world No 1 gives no indication he will relinquish it lightly.
