Jannik Sinner begins Australian Open defense with win
Jannik Sinner opened his Australian Open title defense with a win in Melbourne, beating Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 4-6, 10-4 in an exhibition match ahead of the main draw.
The match was played before the tournament officially begins on January 18 and served as an early test rather than a full competitive outing.
Still, Sinner looked comfortable on court, moving well and striking the ball cleanly as he continues his preparation for the season’s first Grand Slam.
Sinner also caught attention for his bright yellow kit, which drew a reaction from the crowd. After the match, Sinner kept things light when asked about rival Carlos Alcaraz, who was not part of the exhibition.
“It’s sometimes good without him,” Sinner joked, prompting laughter from the stands.
The world No. 1 enters Melbourne as the defending champion and one of the clear favorites to lift the trophy again. This early win won’t decide anything on its own, but it showed that Sinner is settled for his title defense.
