World No 1 Jannik Sinner has continued his impressive run, securing his 16th consecutive victory with a hard-fought win over wild card Tristan Schoolkate at the Australian Open. Despite stumbling in the first set, Sinner rallied to claim the match with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, showcasing his resilience and determination on the court.
Sinner, who came into the tournament having won an astonishing 30 of his last 31 matches, was initially rattled by the local hope Schoolkate. However, he found his rhythm and composure, ultimately dominating the subsequent sets to advance to the third round. The reigning champion is set to face American Marcos Giron, currently ranked No 46 in the world, as he aims to build on his success in the hardcourt Grand Slam titles he clinched in Melbourne and New York last year.
In contrast, the Australian duo of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis faced an unfortunate turn of events in their doubles campaign. The pair, who were looking to replicate their success from 2022, were forced to retire from their first-round match. Kokkinakis, who had earlier sustained an arm injury during his singles match against British No 1 Jack Draper, was advised not to compete further. This setback puts a damper on their hopes of another doubles triumph.
Kyrgios had previously hinted at possibly stepping back from singles competition at his home Grand Slam after suffering a defeat to Scot Jacob Fearnley. Nevertheless, he remains open to continuing his doubles journey alongside Kokkinakis, underscoring a sense of camaraderie and shared ambition.
Meanwhile, American Taylor Fritz has made headlines off the court as well. After a commanding 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Chile’s Cristian Garin, the fourth seed announced that he would donate his first-round prize money — 132,000 Australian dollars (around £67,000) — to support those impacted by the California wildfires. This generous gesture adds to his growing reputation as not only a fierce competitor, having reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open last summer, but also as a compassionate individual who contributes positively to societal issues.
Fritz’s next challenge comes in the form of the seasoned Gael Monfils, who is enjoying a remarkable resurgence this season. Monfils dispatched Daniel Altmaier with a straight-sets victory of 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (3), further solidifying his status as a formidable contender. Having claimed the title in Auckland just the previous weekend, Monfils enters this matchup with confidence, stating that he feels he has nothing left to prove in his illustrious career.
In other matches, Brazil’s promising 18-year-old Joao Fonseca faced a tough exit at the hands of Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, who triumphed with a score of 6-7 (8-6), 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Fonseca had earlier impressed with a straight-sets win over ninth seed Andrey Rublev, marking a significant achievement during his Grand Slam main draw debut.
Home favorite Alex de Minaur continues to sail through the tournament with ease, demonstrating his prowess with a convincing 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 win over American Tristan Boyer. The match held added significance for Boyer, as his hometown has been notably affected by the recent wildfires. Serbian player Miomir Kecmanovic also made headlines by knocking out 18th seed Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets, continuing a thrilling first week of action at the Australian Open.
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