Jannik Sinner did not command much attention as the 2026 season’s first Grand Slam stop arrived in Melbourne. Carlos Alcaraz’s bid for a career Grand Slam without Juan Carlos Ferrero, Novak Djokovic’s ninth attempt at a historic 25th major, and Roger Federer’s farewell exhibition drew far more traction ahead of the Australian Open.

By the end of the opening round on Tuesday, however, Sinner had firmly stormed into the conversation, not just for his return to winning ways at Rod Laver Arena, but also for already having Melbourne buzzing with “finalist” talk.

Slotted into the bottom-most section of the draw, the two-time defending champion was the last of the top seeds to take the court in the opening round of the year’s first Grand Slam. He kick-started his bid for a historic Australian Open three-peat with a 15th straight win at the tournament, defeating Frenchman Hugo Gaston, though in an unexpected fashion.

The contest was halted just over an hour in when the left-handed world No. 93 retired injured moments after Sinner converted a set point to lead 6-2, 6-1. Gaston had taken medical treatment at the end of the opening set but struggled to continue in the second, eventually approaching Sinner at the net before leaving the court visibly distressed.

Speaking on court, Sinner admitted the retirement caught him by surprise despite sensing his opponent was not fully fit.

“I saw that he wasn’t serving with much pace, especially in the second set, but it’s not the way you want to win a match,” Sinner said. “He’s such a talented player, with incredible touch and movement. I knew from the beginning I had to play at a very high level and be aggressive, which I did, so I’m happy with my performance.”

Playing his first competitive match since the ATP Finals in Turin last November, Sinner’s 15-match winning streak in Melbourne moves him a step closer to becoming only the second man in the Open Era to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, after Djokovic’s runs from 2011–13 and 2019–21.

Even accounting for Gaston’s physical issues, the matchup largely played out as expected. The only moment of concern for the second seed came early in the second set, when he slipped to 0–40 on serve. Sinner responded emphatically, erasing all three break points with consecutive aces and never faced another.

Gaston briefly resisted, saving three break points at 2–3 in the first set, but eventually succumbed to Sinner’s relentless pressure. Whether drawn into baseline exchanges or rushed to the net, the Frenchman found no answers as Sinner imposed his authority, a reminder of why, just one round in, Melbourne is already whispering about another deep run.

“Jannik had all the answers. This is another example of how Sinner has brought that variety to his game by using short shots and creating break-point opportunities,” Henman said on TNT Sports. “It’s simply a way in which Sinner is able to get into the game in the first official match of the year.

“When you see him play with great touch, his technique seems increasingly comfortable at the net, and it’s scary that he has these options to draw upon if he needs them.”

Sinner had consciously worked on this aspect of his game after his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final last year, when he admitted he had become “very predictable” in the match and needed to add more variety. The transition began almost immediately.

In the five tournaments he played after the US Open, the Italian won four titles, including the ATP Finals on home soil in Turin. Much of that success was built on his ability to mix baseline dominance with regular use of drop shots and more frequent forays to the net.

According to Tennis Data Innovations, during that run Sinner, who has yet to drop a set in his last 11 matches, increased his shot variety from 11.7 to 13.7 per cent, still below the Tour average of 19.1 per cent but a notable jump nonetheless. His use of slice rose from 3.6 to 4.2 per cent, drop shots from 1.5 to 2 per cent, and net play from 3 to 4.3 per cent.

It may still be early days in the tournament, but four-time Grand Slam winner Jim Courier did not hesitate in branding Sinner a “finalist” at the Australian Open — a remark that also subtly backed the Italian to overcome Novak Djokovic in what could be a blockbuster semifinal clash at Rod Laver Arena.

“It would be an absolute surprise if he didn’t reach the final,” Courier said. “It’s hard to imagine him struggling. He chooses the right shots, he’s incredible defensively, and he has a great variety of offensive shots from anywhere on the court.”

Courier’s confidence is rooted largely in Sinner’s improved serving consistency. “His serve has gained a lot of consistency since the US Open, when he changed his ball toss after a bad day on serve,” he said. “Since then, he’s been a completely different server, and that gives him a huge advantage in rallies.”