Jannik Sinner launched his Australian Open title defence in emphatic fashion, requiring merely 68 minutes on court before his opening match concluded prematurely, with the reigning champion showing class by immediately consoling his rival.
French opponent Hugo Gaston was forced to withdraw whilst trailing 6-2 6-1, having sustained a wrist injury following a heavy tumble during the contest.
The emotional aftermath saw Gaston reduced to tears as the defending champion offered consolation by the side of the court.
The Italian top seed had encountered some early resistance, facing three break points in his opening service game, but swiftly found his rhythm to fend off the threat.
Gaston’s decision to retire came immediately after conceding the second set to the world No 2.
The victory extended Sinner’s remarkable unbeaten run at Melbourne Park to 15 consecutive matches, as he pursues an unprecedented third successive Australian Open crown.
This marked the Italian’s first competitive outing of 2026, having previously only participated in exhibition contests against Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime during the pre-season period.
Hugo Gaston was in tears after being forced to withdraw from his Australian Open match
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His path through the draw has potentially become clearer, with Brazilian prospect Joao Fonseca, who had been a possible third-round opponent, suffering an unexpected defeat to Eliot Spizzirri.
Sinner will next face either lucky loser Dino Prizmic or Australian wildcard James Duckworth in the second round as he continues his quest for a hat-trick of titles.
Sinner acknowledged that his opponent’s physical difficulties became apparent as the match progressed.
Jannik Sinner’s Grand Slam titles so far | GETTY
“I saw he was not serving with high pace, especially in the second set,” he remarked during his on-court interview.
The tennis star expressed disappointment at the manner of his victory, stating: “It’s not the way you want to win the match.”
Despite the premature ending, Sinner praised his opponent’s abilities.
“He is a talented player,” he said.
“He has incredible touch, moving very so I knew from the beginning that I had to play a very high level tennis, trying to be as aggressive as possible, which I’ve done so I’m very happy.”
Jannik Sinner is bidding to win the Australian Open for the third year in a row
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Sinner revealed he arrived at the tournament feeling thoroughly prepared after an intensive off-season.
“I felt very well prepared,” he said. “We worked a lot, physically, obviously on the court too.”
The Italian reflected positively on his warm-up matches, particularly highlighting his encounter with Auger-Aliassime.
“I had one great match with Felix, even though it’s an exhibition, but we went full. The official matches are always very, very different, so I’m very happy how I started off today,” he noted.
