Melbourne - Jannik Sinner has successfully begun his mission to defend his title at the Australian Open 2026. In his first round match, the world number two from Sesto confidently prevailed against Frenchman Hugo Gaston, who had to retire after losing two clear sets due to physical problems. After just 67 minutes of play, the South Tyrolean was through to the second round.
Dominance on the Rod Laver Arena
Although the 24-year-old exceptional player got off to a slightly tense start - he found himself trailing 0:40 in his first service game - Sinner found his usual precise rhythm in a flash. He fended off the break points with nerves of steel and took command of the court from then on. Gaston, currently ranked number 93 in the world, kept pace in phases until the score was 2:2, but then Sinner irresistibly upped the tempo. With powerful groundstrokes and a total of six aces, he secured a clear 6:2 win in the first set.
The Italian's superiority became even more noticeable in the second round. Gaston was visibly struggling with physical impairments, which was particularly noticeable in his drastically reduced serving speed. Rumor has it that a gastrointestinal virus, which has already affected other players in the tournament, could have been the cause of the Frenchman's weakness. Sinner remained highly concentrated, varied his game skillfully and hardly gave his opponent any breathing space. After a clear 6:1 in the second set, Gaston finally signaled that he could not continue the match and gave up.
Outlook for the duel against James Duckworth
In the subsequent analysis on the court, Sinner was satisfied with his first appearance of the year at Grand Slam level. He emphasized that he felt excellently prepared physically and enjoyed the special atmosphere in Melbourne, even though he expressed sympathy for his injured opponent. It is never nice to win by giving up, but he is pleased with the performance he has shown and that he has progressed.
An interesting task now awaits the South Tyrolean in the second round: he will face the Australian local hero James Duckworth. The latter prevailed in a dramatic five-set marathon against the Croatian Dino Prizmic. Sinner goes into this match as the clear favorite, but will have to be prepared for passionate support from the crowd for his Australian opponent. Italian fans also had another reason to celebrate on the first day of the tournament, as the successful doubles duo Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini also won their opening match.
