Four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner moved safely into the second round of the Australian Open after Hugo Gaston retired at the end of the second set, bringing a sudden conclusion to an otherwise one-sided contest on Rod Laver Arena.
With Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic having already secured places in round two earlier in the tournament, attention centred on whether Sinner would open his title defence with similar authority. The Italian world No. 2 delivered exactly that, dominating from the baseline and stretching Gaston around the court with relentless depth and pace.
Sinner broke serve midway through the first set to move ahead 4-2 and closed it out 6-2 with another authoritative return game. The pattern continued in the second set, as he surged into a 5-0 lead and wrapped it up 6-1 after just over an hour of play.
At that point, Gaston signalled he could not continue. The pair embraced at the net as the Frenchman left the court visibly distressed, applauded by both the crowd and Sinner. “It’s not the way you want to win a match,” Sinner said afterwards. “I saw he was not serving with very high pace in the second set. He’s such a talented player, with incredible touch and movement, so I knew I had to play very aggressively from the start.”
Former British No. 1 Tim Henman suggested Gaston’s retirement may have been linked to illness rather than injury, noting that the trainer and doctor had administered medication and that Gaston gestured towards his stomach. “There might be a bug going around,” Henman said, adding that the outcome was unlikely to have changed given Sinner’s level.
The defending champion’s performance was marked by a high first-serve percentage, clean ball-striking and confident movement into the forecourt, underlining his readiness for the demands of a Grand Slam opener. He will face the winner of James Duckworth versus Dino Prizmic in the second round as he continues his bid for another Melbourne title.
Elsewhere on a busy day at the Australian Open, Ben Shelton defeated Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) in one of the toughest first-round match-ups, while Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny ended Gaël Monfils’ 20th and final Melbourne campaign after a four-set battle, prompting an emotional farewell from the 39-year-old Frenchman.
There were further retirements across the draw, with Lorenzo Musetti advancing after Raphaël Collignon withdrew and Eliot Spizzirri defeating João Fonseca, the No. 28 seed, to reach round two. Karen Khachanov and Sebastian Baez also progressed after hard-fought victories.
While the night ended earlier than expected for Sinner and Gaston, the Italian’s commanding display and composed reaction to his opponent’s misfortune ensured his opening chapter in Melbourne was defined by both performance and professionalism.
