Sinner swiftly advanced to the second round of the 2026 Australian Open.

Against an underestimated rival, Jannik Sinner committed zero errors.

Jannik Sinner delivered an impressive debut performance at the 2026 Australian Open by dominating Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-1 before the French player unexpectedly retired midway through their first-round match at Rod Laver Arena on the afternoon of January 20 (Vietnam time). Not only did the Italian star advance comfortably, but he also showed sportsmanship by immediately comforting his disappointed opponent, concluding a brief yet noteworthy match.

With Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic already secured for round two, fans were especially eager to see how Sinner, a top contender for the title, would perform. He responded with near-perfect form: winning the first two sets in just over an hour before Gaston signaled he could not continue.

The match was completely dominated by Sinner from the opening set. The Italian relentlessly pressured with powerful shots to the corners and effective net approaches. After taking a 4-2 lead, Sinner broke another serve to close out the first set, then continued to overwhelm in the second set by quickly leading 5-0. Although Gaston avoided a bagel set, he was unable to cope with Sinner’s serving quality and shot speed.

The most memorable moment came when Gaston decided to stop playing. Both players met at the net, embraced, and Sinner offered words of encouragement to his dejected opponent. The crowd applauded as Gaston left the court, and Sinner clearly showed respect for the French player.

"This is not the way you want to win a match,"Sinner said during an on-court interview. "I noticed he wasn’t serving with much pace in the second set. He’s a talented player with great technique and movement. I knew from the start I had to play aggressively.".

Gaston fell early in the match and showed signs of physical instability. Medical staff attended him, providing medication, and it is possible he was suffering from abdominal problems or illness caused by a virus.

Sinner’s next opponent in round two will be James Duckworth, the home favorite who defeated young talent Dino Prizmic in a thrilling five-set match.