Alpha News

Straight-Set Victory for Sinner, Opponent Retires (VIDEO)

Published January 20, 2026, 13:41

Jannik Sinner advanced to the second round of the Australian Open after a relatively short match against Hugo Gaston. The Italian tennis player won the first two sets 6-2 and 6-1, but the Frenchman was forced to retire from the match due to an abdominal problem. This was Sinner's first official appearance after winning the ATP Finals, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The world No. 2 Sinner showed good form and dominated the sets he played. The qualification for the second round was expected, given the difference in ranking between the two players. In the next round, Sinner will face Australian James Duckworth, who qualified after a dramatic match against Croatian Dino Prizmic, decided in the fifth-set tie-break (7-6, 3-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3). The match is expected to be more challenging for Sinner, as Duckworth is a respectable opponent playing in front of his home crowd.