Jannik Sinner stifles Luciano Darderi’s bid to advance to Australian Open qualifying | ATP Tour
ATP Tour
Sinner kills Dudley’s bid to reach Australian Open semi-finals
Two-time defending champion awaits Shelton or Rudd in Melbourne
January 26, 2026
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner has won all 18 tour-level matches he has played against Italian teams.
Jerome Coombe
Jannik Sinner endured a brief period of uncertainty at the Australian Open on Monday, but eventually defeated fellow Italian Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2) and reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
The PIF ATP No. 2 player plays with authority, combining relentless precision with a calm edge that largely eliminates doubt and drama. After struggling with cramps in his previous round against Elliot Spitzley – a fight in which he later admitted he was “lucky” to close the roof in time – Sinner escaped a tense finish against Dudley as he faced a brief slump in both motivation and fitness.
“It was very difficult. We’re good friends off the court and it was a little hard to overcome,” Sinner said of Dudley. “I had a few break opportunities in the third set, [but] I couldn’t use them…and then I got really tight, so I’m glad I ended the match in three sets. “
Simply great 🔥@janniksin Defeated compatriot Dudley and entered the quarter-finals for the fourth time.@Australian Open | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/LVdNyAZeO4
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 26, 2026
In his first Lexus ATP head-to-head match against Dudley, Sinner dictated from the baseline with clean timing and sharp serve. Dadri briefly posed a threat at the end of the third set, playing an aggressive attack from the baseline to win four break points at 4-4 and take a 2/0 lead in the tiebreak. It seemed like a potential turning point, but Sinner shut the door firmly, scoring seven straight points to close out the victory.
Next up, Sinner will face either Ben Shelton or Kasper Rudd as he continues his bid to join Novak Djokovic as the only men to win three consecutive Australian Open titles. Now, the two are just one victory away from a sensational semifinal showdown.
Sinner defeated Dadri in two hours and nine minutes to advance to the Australian Open quarter-finals for the fourth time, joining Grigor Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori and Stefanos Tsitsipas as the fourth-most capped player among active players.
Sinner’s combination of power and efficiency proved decisive in his straight-sets win, allowing him to finish the match without raising further questions about his fitness. He finished with 46 winners, including 19 aces, and remained in perfect form against his fellow Italians, compiling an 18-0 tour record against his fellow Italians.
“We worked a lot, especially on the serve,” Sinner added. “We changed our moves a little bit and I do feel more confident. There’s room for improvement and that’s normal, but I’m very happy with the return to the new season. At the end of last season, I was serving really well, [and] It’s more stable. “
