Picture Credit: X

Picture Credit: X

On Monday, January 20, the Round of 16 match between Italian Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune saw the match get suspended for a few minutes after the reigning champion’s serve broke the net. Sinner, who is defending his Australian Open title this season, shook the net with one his powerful serves.

Following this, the organisers were forced to suspend the play for close to 20 minutes. The moment came in the early minutes of the fourth set when Sinner had an advantage 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 0-1. A metal component that rotates to screw into the blue-painted surface after hooking the bottom of the black webbing, separating the players on the tennis court was undone.

Jannik Sinner’s RO16 match gets suspended after unintentional net issue

Although a minimum of six individuals approached to inspect the situation on the court, in order to reconnet the apparatus, a thousands present at the Melbourne Park cheered when a worker with a red toolbox finally managed to fix it. In the process, chair umpire Nico Helwerth announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, we are trying to fix the net as quick as possible. It’s probably going to take a few minutes. Thank you you for your patience.”

Watch video of Jannik Sinner’s powerful serve which led game getting suspended:

Speaking of the match, the World No. 1 outplayed the 13th seeded Holger Rune of Denmark to proceed in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open 2025. The 23-year-old will next take on Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.