The 113th edition of theAustralian Openit started with the two over-favorites Jannik Sinner (reigning champion) and Carlos Alcaraz who easily passed the first round and are preparing for a winning ride until the final clash on Sunday 1 February. But will it really be like this? Actually if they are few tennis players can think seriously to worry the two champions, there is something (and not someone) that could change the script instead this first slam of the season: the heat.
In fact, since the first days, the Australian Open has been transforming into aordeal for many tennis playerstra cramps, injuriesmalori e stomach problemsaccentuated precisely by the fact that it is the first Slam of the season and what it doesvery hot. Today Jannik Sinner, making his debut against Hugo Gaston, made it clear that he fears this unusual and very powerful opponent: the world no.2 was in a hurry to avoid extending the time spent on the pitch and, very concentrated, he overwhelmed the Frenchman in the first two sets (6-2 6-1) in 68 minutes. After which the unfortunate man raised the white flag due to a problem certainly due to the unusual effort for him to counter Sinner’s firepower.
The fear of Jannik and his team (ditto for Alcaraz) is also fueled by evidence. In many – even champions of the highest level – they were victims of the heat. He was also among the first to pay the priceItalianswith an illustrious victim asFlavio Cobollii cui intestinal problemsthey started in the third game of the match lost in three sets against the British Arthur Fery. Despite the intervention of doctors and the taking of drugs, the 23-year-old Roman’s condition worsened minute by minute, also due to a ‘toilet break’ being denied. In the end, exhausted even by thefluid losshe had to give up.
Physical problems anche per Luca Nardiwho he accusedcrampsat the end of the second and third sets before being eliminated by Chinese Yibing Wu with the score by 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. The resurgence of afoot paininstead it was one of the components of the defeat ofMatteo Arnaldieliminated in three sets against Andrey Rublev. “Already in the second or third game I made a couple of slips and I started to feel discomfort in my foot”, said the Sanremo player, “from that moment it was a painful matchdifficult. I feel bad, playing like this doesn’t make sense; we did everything I was told to do but I’m still in too much pain.”
Luciano Darderi and the lesson of the gastroprotector
Luciano Darderidespite making it through the first round, took a big risk for theintestinal problemsagainst his friend and Chilean doubles partner Cristian Garin: “I looked at the sky and said: ‘Why me? Why now?'” he said after the match. In this case the cause was immediately identified: “Before the match I took medicine for a pain in my footbut I didn’t take agastroprotector. So betweenheat and stressI started to havestomach ache“, said the Italian-Argentine. Not even the ‘toilet break’ was decisive: “In a minute I couldn’t complete operations, so once I got back to the field I still had a stomach ache. I really thought I wouldn’t have made it if the match had been prolonged.” In the final, however, he took advantage of a providentialmedical time outcalled by Garin for a blister to return to the bathroom.
Withdrawals and cramps among the big names in tennis
Per crampsBelgian Raphael Collignon retired in the fourth setLorenzo Musettiand the number one in the world himself,Carlos Alcarazrevealed that he went shirtless in training to ease discomfort over theexcessive heat. The 25-year-old Canadian also retiredHappy Auger-Alsoeighth seed, plagued by strongcramps in the back musclesof the thigh and calves in the match against the Portuguese Nuno Borges.
The difficulties in the women’s draw and the fainting ball boys
Among the women, the CanadianMarina Stakusicwho arrived from the qualifiers, had to leave the field inwheelchair for crampswhile the British Francesca Jones threw in the towel due to the flare-up of aglute problem. And the heat, even if the peaks of other years are not being reached, has also caused victims among theball boy: two girls are in factfaintedon the fields ofMelbourne Park.
Sönmez notices that a ball girl is sick and stops the game to provide help ❤️#AusOpen #AO2026 #AustraliaOpen
— OK Tennis (@oktennis) January 18, 2026