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Australian Open: Jannik Sinner's time violation disputed by opponent Eliot Spizzirri in amazing act of sportsmanship

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There was a rare incident during Jannik Sinner's Australian Open third-round victory over Eliot Spizzirri in which the world No. 85 disputed a time violation issued to the two-time defending champion following shouts from the crowd. Sinner advanced with victory over four sets in controversial fashion, after he benefited from a heat-induced delay as a result of soaring temperatures in Melbourne.

Watch astonishing moment both Sinner and sporting opponent dispute code violation

Video credit: TNT Sports

Jannik Sinner's four-set victory over world No. 85 Eliot Spizzirri in the Australian Open third round was not short of talking points.

Not least due to Sinner being under huge threat of a shock exit from the Melbourne Grand Slam, of which he is the two-time defending champion.

Sinner suffered a huge scare, as with one set apiece, he fell a break behind while struggling to move around the court with cramping issues.

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The Italian world No. 2, however, received a huge slice of fortune when a timely break was called to the match as a result of the extreme heat in Melbourne, with temperatures causing the suspension of play as the roof was closed.

But there had already been a contentious moment earlier in the match, shortly after Spizzirri took the opening set, with Sinner attempting to hold serve at 40-15 and a game apiece.

Gearing up to serve, Sinner was called by umpire Fergus Murphy for a time violation - adjudged to have taken too long to get the point underway, as he waited for rogue shouts from the crowd to die down.

Sinner admits he got 'lucky' as heat rule saves him after cramps

Video credit: TNT Sports

Sinner subsequently approached Murphy to dispute the decision.

"They were speaking up there and I had to wait," he vented. "Do you think I should take a time violation?"

Murphy appeared reticent towards Sinner's protestations, until Spizzirri also appeared to plead the four-time Grand Slam winner's case.

"I wasn't ready," Spizzirri asserted, as he walked towards the chair umpire, with Sinner's violation soon rescinded.

"Spizzirri suggesting no need to give him one there," Arvind Parmar said on commentary, with Simon Reed adding: "Spizzirri appreciating that, saying he wasn't ready."

It was a fine show of sportsmanship from the American, who was facing the biggest match of his career against Sinnner, and he spent the lead-up to the third-round clash playing table tennis with the Australian Open's ballkids.

While TNT Sports expert Tim Henman said he could have felt aggrieved at the heat-induced delay, with Sinner "absolutely cooked" before the break, Spizzirri remained complimentary of his opponent in his post-match press conference.

Asked if he felt Sinner caught a lucky break, Spizzirri replied: "You could say it's lucky, but he's also very experienced and handled it pretty well, I would say."

He added: "We've seen him do this before where there's an extended break, and he gathers himself and comes out and figures it out.

"Yeah, I wouldn't say he got saved by it. He's too good of a player to say that, but at the same time, you know, it was, you know, challenging timing, and that's just the nature of the sport."

On his own performance, Spizzirri said: "Yeah, definitely encouraging. I never played, especially in a formal match, a player of his calibre.

Highlights: Watch as Sinner survives huge scare in blistering heat against Spizzirri

Video credit: TNT Sports

"To kind of feel out my game and go toe-to-toe with him, yeah, it felt good. It definitely gives me some confidence to keep going. I have some areas that I definitely need to work on, I think, and maybe that were a little bit exposed. I knew that coming in.

"He's one of the best players in the world, so he's going to kind of make you feel where your weaknesses are more than other guys and exploit them. Yeah, I definitely felt like I'll hopefully learn a lot from this match but also take some confidence from it."

Sinner faces Luciano Darderi for a place in the quarter-finals.

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