Marcos Giron Advances to Australian Open Third Round, Faces Top Seed Sinner

MELBOURNE, Australia — Marcos Giron, the 31-year-old American tennis player, has reached the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. Giron, who previously struggled at the season’s first major, defeated his second-round opponent in a grueling five-set match, setting up a showdown with defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner.

Giron, ranked No. 46 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has historically faced tough draws in Melbourne, often pitted against top-five players in the early rounds. This year, however, he avoided such a fate and capitalized on the opportunity. “It’s tough. You have to play whoever you play. But it definitely helps when you don’t have to play a top-five guy in the world. It was nice,” Giron told ATPTour.com.

Giron’s next challenge is Sinner, the world No. 1, who is riding a 19-match winning streak. The two last met 15 months ago at the ATP Tour, where Sinner won in straight sets. “He pretty much almost doesn’t have any holes, he’s got weapons and he’s confident,” Giron said of Sinner. “It’s a hell of a challenge.”

Despite the daunting task ahead, Giron remains optimistic. “I’m going to have to be aggressive. I’m going to have to take chances. But I’m going to have to play within myself, and have to do it for a very long time in order to have a chance,” he said.

Giron’s journey to the third round comes amid personal challenges. His family, including his mother, sister, and niece, had planned to travel to Australia to support him, but the trip was canceled after his niece fell ill. Additionally, Giron expressed concern for his home state of California, which has been ravaged by wildfires. “It’s really sad to see that this fire has done so much damage to L.A.,” he said. “It’s motivating for me to play here, being able to do this while so many people are suffering.”

Giron’s recent success on the ATP Tour, including his first title win in Newport last year, has fueled his confidence. “As an athlete, you always wonder, ‘How can I keep pushing myself? Can I keep improving?'” he said. “If you don’t, you’re not going to keep succeeding.”

The match between Giron and Sinner is scheduled for January 18, 2025, with Sinner heavily favored to advance. However, Giron’s resilience and determination could make for an intriguing contest.