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Former American tennis player Steve Johnson has labelled the rule that allows a break in play mid-set to shut the roof 'insane' following Jannik Sinner's win over Eliot Spizzirri in the Australian Open. With the searing heat in Melbourne, the tournament organisers enforced the heat rule with the match in the balance at one set all and Spizzirri 3-1 up in the third set.

The rule means that the venue's roof is closed, with players leaving the court. Before the heat rule set in, Sinner appeared to be struggling with cramps.

However, after the eight minute break while the roof was closed, the Italian turned the match around, coming out as the 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 winner. Speaking on the Nothing Major Show after the match, Johnson called on the rule to be changed, with breaks only allowed in between sets. "I think it's insane," said the four-time ATP Tour title winner.

"I get why the rule is in place. It's an arbitrary number that they decided at some point prior to this. I get they are just following rules. I just don't like that they do it in the middle of the set.

"I get why they come up with the rules and they are going to follow the rules that are in place, but I don't think they should do it in the middle of sets. They should finish the set.

"Obviously if it's rain or something you stop and close the roof but in this instance, I just think they should wait until the end of the set and then close it." Sinner himself admitted that he was 'lucky' that the heat rule kicked in when it did. "It started in the leg and then spread to the arms, so I had cramps all over my body," he said.

"I was lucky with the heat rule; they closed the roof. I took my time and, as time passed, I started feeling better."

Sinner has since overcome fellow Italian Luciano Darderi, coming out as 1-6, 3-6, 6-7 winner. He is next in action tomorrow (Wednesday) when he takes on American Ben Shelton in the quarter-final of the tournament.