Sinner told to remove banned device minutes before Australian Open clash

By Enitan Abdultawab

Jannik Sinner was instructed to remove a prohibited wrist device moments before the start of his Australian Open fourth-round match against Luciano Darderi after tournament officials spotted the equipment during pre-match checks.

The defending Australian Open champion was seen wearing what appeared to be a Whoop fitness tracker beneath his wristband as he approached the net for the coin toss.

However, umpire Greg Allensworth noticed the device and immediately asked the Italian to remove it, a request Sinner complied with without protest.

Images later showed the 24-year-old attempting to conceal the technology under his wristband, a situation similar to one involving Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the tournament. Alcaraz was also ordered to remove a comparable device on Sunday, while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka had been caught in a related incident in the opening rounds.

The episode came just days after Sinner endured a physically demanding encounter in extreme heat against Eliot Spizzirri, during which he battled cramps and later admitted he was “lucky” with the application of the tournament’s heat policy.

Despite the brief off-court distraction, Sinner maintained his momentum at Melbourne Park. The world No. 2 produced a dominant performance to defeat fellow Italian Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2), sealing his place in the quarter-finals for the fourth time.

The victory marked Sinner’s ninth consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearance, underlining his consistency at the highest level. He delivered a commanding display on serve and demonstrated growing all-round maturity, ensuring that the pre-match incident did little to derail his relentless run at the 2026 Australian Open.

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