Jannik Sinner shook off his brutal third-round scare and looked composed again Monday night, dispatching fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in straight sets to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals for a ninth consecutive Grand Slam appearance.

The two-time defending champion, who battled extreme heat and cramps in his previous match, looked far fresher under cooler evening conditions at Margaret Court Arena. He controlled the match from the start and dictated play with his serve and baseline pressure.

Sinner eventually closed out the contest 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in two hours and nine minutes, sealing another deep run in Melbourne.

The win extended his unbeaten streak to 18 matches against fellow Italian players on tour and booked a quarterfinal meeting with either No. 8 Ben Shelton or No. 12 Casper Ruud.

Calm start, tense finish

Sinner raced through the opening two sets with clinical efficiency, overpowering Darderi with clean ball-striking and relentless service games. His control only wavered when Darderi lifted his intensity late in the third set.

Darderi saved two match points on his serve and briefly threatened in the tiebreaker after taking the opening two points. A brief pause caused by a crying baby in the crowd broke the rhythm, and Sinner responded by winning seven straight points to finish the match.

Serve becomes the difference

Sinner recorded a personal-best 19 aces without committing a single double fault, highlighting the offseason work he has put into improving his serve.

He also mixed in more variety, attacking the net and using changes of pace to disrupt rallies, including key serve-and-volley plays in the third set.

Sinner said he was pleased with his progress but admitted there is still room to grow as the tournament moves into its decisive stages.