Jannik Sinner's opponent retires suddenly and breaks down in tears at Australian Open

Hugo Gaston broke down in tears after being forced to retire from his match against Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open. It was one-way traffic at Melbourne Park, with Sinner on the verge of victory before Gaston conceded the match at the start of the third set. The reigning champion had breezed through the opening two sets and was leading 6-2 6-1 when the contest was abruptly halted.

Before the start of play in the third set, Gaston went over to shake hands with Sinner as it became apparent that he was retiring from the match. The distraught Frenchman immediately returned to his chair, where he slumped and burst into tears. He covered his face with a towel before making his way off the court as Sinner applauded his beaten opponent.

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Gaston looked in some distress as he cried on the sidelines and was consoled by Sinner, who ventured over and placed a hand on the 25-year-old's shoulder.

It wasn't immediately clear why the French player conceded the match, given that he appeared to be moving fine towards the end of the second set.

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He briefly had physio treatment during the opening set but seemingly recovered from whatever was bothering him at that stage of the encounter.

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Speaking to Jim Courier in his post-match interview, Sinner explained that it wasn't the way he wanted to win but admitted he was pleased with how he performed.

"I saw that he [Gaston] wasn’t serving with high pace, especially in the second set," said the Italian. "It’s not the way you want to win. He’s such a talented player. He has incredible touch, moving very, very well.

"I knew from the beginning I had to play a very high level tennis, trying to be as aggressive as possible which I’ve done. I’m very happy to be back here. It’s a very special place for me. Thanks for coming. The atmosphere is amazing."

Reflecting on his own efforts, Sinner added: "Honestly, I felt very well prepared. We worked a lot physically. Also on the court too. I had one great match with Felix [Auger-Aliassime] even if it’s an exhibition, we went full.

"Official matches are always very different. Very happy how I started off today. Of course a bit of tension but now it’s time to enjoy. All the hard work is done. We practice for moments like this. I’m very happy to be back here."

Sinner will face either Australian wildcard James Duckworth or lucky loser Dino Prizmic in the second round of the Australian Open later this week.

He will be looking to defend his title in Melbourne and lay down an early marker by winning the first major tournament of the new year.

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Sinner's main rival for the honours will be Carlos Alcaraz, who is hoping to complete a career Grand Slam by claiming his first title Down Under.

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