Silk stockings advance without looking at the draw, Wawrinka bids farewell to the Australian Open, Sinner’s timeout comeback sparks widespread criticism

The Australian Open continues to showcase intense battles amid high temperatures and controversies: in women’s singles, top seed Swiatek fought through three sets to advance; in men’s singles, Swiss veteran Wawrinka bowed out, marking his final appearance at the tournament, while defending champion Sinner sparked a flood of debate and doubts over the “timeout policy” during his match.

Swiatek continued her dominance today, defeating Russian player Kalinskaya with a dramatic scoreline of 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 to reach the fourth round of the women’s singles, where she will face Australian dark horse Inglis, who advanced after Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal.

After the match, Swiatek said she never pays attention to the draw and simply gives her all in every match. She stated, “This score doesn’t surprise me because I know Anna plays excellent tennis. On the other hand, she took big risks and didn’t prepare much before the match. We know each other well, so I just hoped to seize the opportunity and apply pressure actively when the ball slowed down.”

Regarding the sudden loss in the second set, she attributed it to her opponent’s improvement: “It felt like she just returned all the balls that went out in the first set.” When asked about her next opponent, Swiatek gave her trademark answer: “I never worry about that, so I don’t know who I’ll face. But no matter who’s on the other side of the net, I want to focus on myself.”

In another highlight match, American Fritz defeated former champion and Swiss star Wawrinka 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. With this loss, the 40-year-old Wawrinka officially ended his run at this Australian Open, marking his final performance at Melbourne Park.

After the match, the three-time Grand Slam winner, with tears in his eyes, sincerely thanked the fans: “The atmosphere here is always incredible. Thank you all for your years of support. I gave everything, but today my opponent played better. I still love this sport and will keep fighting as long as my body allows.” The entire crowd stood to applaud, paying tribute to this legendary player known for his powerful one-handed backhand.

The biggest focus of the men’s third round was defending champion Italian Sinner, who faced a physical crisis during his match against Dutch player Spizzirri but ultimately escaped trouble thanks to a timely heat timeout policy, completing a remarkable comeback to reach the fourth round.

The match unfolded dramatically: Sinner lost the first set and was down 1-3 in the third set with severe cramping, requiring a medical timeout. However, just as Spizzirri held a commanding lead, the tournament officials closed the roof due to the heat policy, and both players took the mandated 10-minute break. After the environmental change, the momentum completely shifted, with Sinner winning the third set 6-4 and the fourth set 6-4 to complete the turnaround!

This sequence of events ignited controversy online. Many fans and commentators questioned whether the organizers gave Sinner “special treatment.”

“This is an absolute scandal!” a user angrily wrote on social media. “Closing the roof and taking a 10-minute break when the opponent was in full momentum and leading with a break completely disrupted the match rhythm. Spizzirri was defeated by the ‘rules.’”

Another comment pointed to possible economic motives behind the scenes: “The Australian Open wanted to prevent Sinner’s elimination to protect ticket sales and TV ratings. A top star exiting in the second week is a commercial nightmare for the organizers.”

Tennis columnist Ben Rosenberg analyzed in his report: “The rule does exist; the heat policy is meant to protect players’ health. But the timing was painfully coincidental. This undoubtedly presents a dilemma for the organizers: how to enforce rules strictly while avoiding compromising the fairness of competition?”

There were also voices defending the organizers and Sinner. Former player and current commentator Jim Courier pointed out: “Sinner received treatment and rest within the rules. His cramping was real, and the heat policy is clearly stated. Critics might ask why Spizzirri couldn’t maintain focus after the environmental change. Top players are expected to handle all kinds of unexpected situations.”

As the tournament enters its second week, the intensity on court and the heated off-court debates continue side by side. Swiatek pushes onward toward the championship, while Sinner must face his compatriot Darderi amid ongoing controversy. Meanwhile, the Australian Open organizers have yet to respond officially to the mounting criticism. Balancing player health, rule fairness, and event entertainment will remain a profound challenge for this edition.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)