Day 7 of the 2026 Australian Open delivered drama, history, and heartbreak as extreme heat pushed players to their limits at Melbourne Park. Novak Djokovic became the first player in tennis history to reach 400 Grand Slam singles match wins, while defending champion Jannik Sinner battled through severe cramps to keep his title defense alive. Meanwhile, two-time champion Naomi Osaka was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an abdominal injury.
Djokovic achieved his historic milestone with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp in the third round on Saturday night. The 24-time major champion now sits 31 wins clear of Roger Federer, who occupies second place with 369 Grand Slam match victories. The Serbian star also improved his Melbourne record to 102-10, equaling Federer's mark for the most-ever match wins at the Australian Open. At 38 years old, Djokovic continues his pursuit of a 25th career major that would cement his status as the most decorated player in tennis history.
The day's most dramatic moment came during Jannik Sinner's third-round clash with American Eliot Spizzirri. With temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, the world number one began cramping severely in his legs and arms while trailing a break in the third set. Play was suspended for eight minutes while the retractable roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena, giving Sinner a crucial reprieve. Following a 10-minute cooling break between sets under the extreme heat policy, the Italian returned revitalized and completed a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 comeback victory in three hours and 45 minutes.
Sinner acknowledged his fortunate escape after the match, stating that he struggled physically and got lucky with the heat rule intervention. The two-time defending champion admitted the cramps started in his legs before spreading to his arms, affecting him all over during the grueling encounter. The extreme heat forced tournament organizers to move the schedule forward by an hour and suspend play on several outdoor courts throughout the afternoon.
Naomi Osaka's withdrawal marked a bitter end to what had been a promising tournament for the four-time Grand Slam champion. The Japanese star, who won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, pulled out before her scheduled third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis due to a recurring left abdominal issue. Osaka had required medical attention during her second-round victory, and the discomfort increased significantly afterward. Her withdrawal advances Inglis to the fourth round in front of her home crowd.
In other notable action, defending women's champion Madison Keys continued her impressive form with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over former world number one Karolina Pliskova, extending her unbeaten streak to 10 matches. The day was not without controversy, as Djokovic came dangerously close to being defaulted after striking a ball in frustration that nearly hit a ball kid. The 10-time Australian Open champion escaped with a warning but acknowledged he needed to control his emotions better on court.
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