Holger Rune reveals if Jannik Sinner's medical timeout played a role behind his Australian Open loss

Jannik Sinner faced off against 13th seed Holger Rune in a highly anticipated fourth-round match at the Australian Open on Monday. The Italian won the game in four sets: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Their encounter was interrupted several times due to medical timeouts and an unexpected net malfunction, which led to discussions about their influence on the match's outcome.

Addressing the impact of the interruptions on the match, he acknowledged that while the break was longer than he expected, it was within the rules and fair, given the conditions.

“It’s perfectly fine that you check, it was a very warm day today even though it was not sun all the time, it was very humid and so I was also feeling it. So, definitely, it’s fair that he got checked, I think it took longer than I expected. It was around 10 minutes maybe even more so that was a bit brutal in the middle of the set,” Rune said.

Despite the break favoring the Italian, Rune did not use it as an excuse for his defeat. He said that while he had strong momentum at that moment, he accepted the situation and moved forward.

Moreover, even the Dane took a 3-minute timeout for his treatment on the right knee in the third set while Sinner was leading 5-3.

“But yeah again you know it is what it is and I could move on but yeah I had good momentum at this moment. But yeah it was not the worst timing from his side,” Rune remarked.

During the match, Sinner took an 11-minute medical timeout in the middle of the third set while leading 3-2, due to dizziness and physical discomfort. The Italian was even limping between the points before that.

There was also another 21-minute delay in the match caused by a broken net, which further helped Sinner recover.

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Jannik Sinner reaches his 15th consecutive ATP tour QF

Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open - Day 9 - Source: Getty

With this victory, Jannik Sinner advances to his 15th consecutive ATP Tour quarter-final and sixth Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance. He will face the winner of the match between Alex de Minaur and Alex Michelsen in his quarterfinal matchup.

The defending champion has put up impressive results in Melbourne so far and will be determined to increase his Grand Slam tally further to cement himself among the top players on the men's tour.

With his consistent performances, the World No. 1 continues to prove his ability to handle high-pressure moments, and his journey in Melbourne will be closely watched as he aims for another deep run in the tournament. He will play his quarterfinal match on Wednesday, January 22.