Sinner Eases Past Gaston in Abrupt Australian Open Opener
Jannik Sinner’s path to a third straight Australian Open title begins with a commanding yet bittersweet win over Hugo Gaston, who retires ill after a one-sided start in Melbourne.
In the charged air of Rod Laver Arena on January 20, 2026, Jannik Sinner stepped out as the two-time defending champion, the weight of history pressing on every point. The Australian Open crowd sensed the stakes, their murmurs building as the Italian faced Hugo Gaston in the first round. Sinner moved with quiet purpose, his flat serves slicing through the humid night, setting up aggressive returns that pinned the Frenchman deep from the baseline.
The opening game tested him immediately, Gaston carving out three break points with probing lefty returns. Sinner reset, unleashing crosscourt forehands to claw back and hold, never facing another chanceaccording to match stats. His rhythm built steadily, heavy topspin groundstrokes forcing errors as Gaston’s energy flagged.
“I saw that he was not serving with a very high pace, especially in the second set, but it’s not a way you want to win the match,” said Sinner, who is now 3-0 in his ATP Head2Head series with Gaston. “He’s such a talented player, so I knew I had to play at a very high level, try to be aggressive as possible, which I’ve done. So I’m very happy, very happy to be back here.”
Drop Shot Sparks Breaking Point
In the sixth game, Sinner floated a sublime drop shot that sent Gaston diving across the court, the ball dying just over the net for break point. He approached the net to check on his opponent, a brief pause amid the rising tension. Gaston waved off concern, but the medical timeout that followed hinted at deeper troubles, unrelated to the fall.
Sinner’s one–two pattern sharpened from there—serve followed by inside-out forehand—stretching the rallies and exposing gaps in the Frenchman’s defense. The first set fell 6-2, Gaston’s serves dipping below pace as illness took hold. By the second, leading 6-1, the match halted after 68 minutes when Gaston retired, leaving the arena in sympathetic quiet.
An unfortunate end @janniksin advances to the second round after Gaston is forced to retire while trailing 6-2, 6-1.@AustralianOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/NLYwPEfl6T
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 20, 2026
Illness Casts Shadow Over Control
The abrupt end spared Sinner a longer grind but underscored tennis’s fragile edge, where preparation meets the unforeseen. He had called the doctor after the opener, his underspin slices losing bite on the medium-paced Plexicushion courts. Sinner’s footwork neutralized those threats, quick splits allowing him to take balls early and dictate tempo.
The crowd’s energy shifted from anticipation to concern, @janniksin‘s advance under @AustralianOpen‘s #AO26 banner marking an unfortunate close via pic.twitter.com/NLYwPEfl6T. Yet the Italian’s focus held, his minimal errors in the humidity affirming months of hard-court drills. This win, hollow as it felt, preserved his body for the draw ahead.
Chasing Djokovic’s Consecutive Legacy
Aiming to join Novak Djokovic as the second man in the Open Era with three straight Australian Open titles—echoing runs from 2011-13 and 2019-21—Sinner carries momentum into round two. He faces lucky loser Dino Prizmic or Australian wild card James Duckworth, both capable of extending points on these surfaces. “I felt very prepared… I’m very happy with how I started off today,” Sinner added. “Of course there was a bit of tension, but now this is time to enjoy it. We practise for moments like this, so it’s great to be back here.”
The path demands versatility, mixing down-the-line passes with slice backhands to disrupt rhythms deeper in the tournament. Gaston’s grit had forced early alertness, a reminder of lurking challenges. Sinner’s poise positions him to build on this start, the Melbourne nights alive with possibility as he eyes the final.
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