Jannik Sinner says 'not the way to win a match' after advancing to R2 of Australian Open 2026

Two-time defending champions Jannik Sinner started his Australian Open 2026 campaign with a walkove win on Tuesday (Jan 20) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Sinner was ahead 6-1, 6-2 when his opponent Hugo Gaston called it quits, reached for the handshake and the match was over. Sinner was most probably going to win anyway and the walkover may have just given him some extra rest as he aims for the third consecutive Aus Open title. If Sinner manages to win this year's Australian Open, he'll be only the second player after Novak Djokovic in the open era history to win three back-to-back Australian Open title.

Sinner speaks on unexpected walkover

“I saw that he was not serving with a very high pace especially in the second [set], but it’s not the way you want to win a match,” said Sinner. “He’s such a talented player. He has incredible touch and moving very, very well, so I knew starting from the beginning that I had to play a very high level of tennis trying to be as aggressive as possible which I’ve done, so I’m very happy. There's has not been exact reason offered for Gaston's retirement from the match but he was seen taking a medicine after the first set.

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Two top-30 seed crash out

Joao Fonseca, seeded number 28, and Tallon Griekspoor, seeded number 23, lost their matches at 1573 Arena and John Cain Arena in Melbourne Park. Brazil's Fonseca lost 4-6, 6-2, 1-6, 2-6 to American Eliot Spizziri while Frenchman Griekspoor lost 6-2, 6-3, 602 in straight sets, also to American Ethan Quinn in early setbacks of year's first grand slam.