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Italian Jannik Sinner reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, beating compatriot Luciano Darderi 6-1 6-3 7-6(2) on Monday.
Two days after suffering dramatic cramps in a third round scare against Eliot Spizzirri, Sinner rebounded with a win as the heat returned to Melbourne Park.
With the sun having retreated in the late afternoon, the double-defending champion was relieved to play in the shade at Margaret Court Arena on a day when temperatures reached 33 degrees Celsius (94F).
“It’s definitely a bit different when there is no sun, even if it’s quite warm outside still,” said Sinner, who booked his ninth successive Grand Slam quarter-final.
“So I felt quite good out there physically. Everything was okay today.”
Sinner will next meet American eighth seed Ben Shelton, who stepped in for the absent Novak Djokovic and overhauled 12th seed Casper Ruud 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 in the late match at Rod Laver Arena.
Shelton lost to Sinner in last year’s semi-finals, one of a run of eight successive defeats to the Italian.