Holger Rune speaks out after world No.1 Jannik Sinner’s controversial medical timeout: ‘I was almost dying’

Holger Rune has spoken out after he was left to suffer in the heat while ailing world No.1 Jannik Sinner benefitted from a lengthy medical timeout in their fourth-round clash at the Australian Open.

The two contenders battled on an intensely hot day before Sinner, who woke up unwell and skipped his usual pre-match warm-up, triumphed 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2.

The Italian looked in serious physical distress in the first few games of the pivotal third set before leaving the court to receive treatment.

He returned a rejuvenated man as the temperature in Melbourne reached 33 degrees — and presumably higher in the closed confines of Rod Laver Arena.

Three games later Rune called his own timeout for treatment on his right leg, only for Sinner to hold to love in the following game to claim the third set.

Another halt in proceedings came one game into the fourth set while officials repaired the bracket that holds the net in place.

Sinner stepped up the pace on the resumption and Rune was unable to respond as the Italian broke in the third game and again in the seventh before closing out the match in three hours and 13 minutes.

“I don’t want to talk so much about how I felt today. I was not feeling really well,” Sinner said in his post-match press conference.

“I was struggling physically and I came here as late as possible as I knew that it was going to be very, very difficult, playing against a tough opponent but also playing against myself a little bit. I was a bit dizzy at times.”

Rather than the net delay being a distraction, Sinner said it was a blessing given how he felt.

“At this point, 20 minutes off court, trying to get back physically, putting some cold water on my head, it was very helpful. It was big, big luck to me,” he said.

By contrast Rune struggled more and more as the match went on, in part because he was forced to wait while Sinner was being checked by doctors.

“It’s perfectly fine that you get checked, it was a very warm day today even though there was not sun all the time — it was very humid. I was also feeling it,” Rune said.

“Definitely it’s fair that he got checked (but) I think it took longer than I expected. It was around 10 minutes, maybe even more, so that was a bit brutal in the middle of the set. But it is what it is.

“I had good momentum in this moment so it was not the worst timing from his side ... he came back firing, so I don’t know what they did.”

Sinner left the court soon after what Rune described as an “incredible game” with “sick rallies” that had both players leaning on their racquets to regain some energy.

“It was really, really tough. I mean I was almost dying also so it was really a struggle. I could see him, he was also struggling,” Rune said.

“It was definitely very, very humid, very warm today, sticking a lot on the body.

“Especially having this 10, 12-minute break (for Sinner’s medical timeout), just sitting in the heat cooking out there is a bit tough, but it is what it is.

“Just had to move on and maybe be smarter next time to, I don’t know, wait off court because yeah it was a bit too long.”

While Rune will soon head home, Sinner’s win helped set up a blockbuster quarter-final against Australian fan favourite Alex de Minaur.

Sinner holds a 9-0 record over de Minaur and will be favoured to extend that run despite his health woes.

But former world No.1 Andy Roddick said the Aussie and his camp could help their case by requesting a day match.

“I would be going ‘let’s play during the day and let’s let Sinner bake in the heat’,” he said on his podcast.

“I think that is a lever that should be pulled, I’d be pushing for it if I were Demon’s camp — and it won’t happen.

“It’s going to be Sinner and Demon at night, I would guess. But I am just pounding the physicality of this match-up with Demon versus Sinner.

“If he’s got some sort of physical crutch, we’ve got to kick the crutch — we’ve got to make him stand on that leg on his own.”

Sinner, who won his first two major titles last year at the Australian and US Opens, has only lost two matches since bowing out in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and is now on an 18-match winning streak.

- with AAP