In a heated first-round match at the 2026 Australian Open, Jaume Munar lost his cool and shouted at noisy spectators before staging a dramatic comeback against Dalibor Svrcina. The 28-year-old Spaniard secured a five-set victory after four and a half hours on Court 15. This win avenges a loss to Svrcina from 2023 on the same court.
The Australian Open 2026 began with high temperatures in Melbourne, but the real intensity unfolded on Court 15 during Jaume Munar's opening-round clash with Dalibor Svrcina. Competing in the main draw for the eighth time and never advancing past the second round, the 28-year-old Mallorcan, ranked No. 39, faced a tough battle. Svrcina proved solid from the baseline, while a vocal crowd added to the pressure, growing louder with each rally and disrupting Munar's rhythm.
Tensions peaked in the fourth set during Munar's serve. Frustrated, he shouted in Spanish, “¿¡TE PUEDES CALLAR!?”—translated as “SHUT UP, WILL YOU!?” The outburst momentarily silenced the stands, but the cheers soon intensified. Undeterred, Munar channeled his anger into determination. Trailing 2-5 and facing match point in the fourth set, he mounted a stunning comeback, ultimately winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3 after four and a half hours of play.
This victory settled a score from 2023, when Svrcina defeated Munar in the first round on the same court. Entering 2026, Munar had shown promise in 2025, his best professional year, reaching a career-high No. 33 and leading Spain to the Davis Cup Finals despite no ATP title. He had tweaked his game, reinventing his forehand and serve for a more assertive style. Reflecting on past frustrations, Munar told the ATP: “I had been stuck in the Top 100 for a long time... It hurt to see that I wasn’t evolving.” Earlier setbacks included a 2019 nine-match losing streak and early exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon that year.
Recent form was mixed: a quarterfinal loss in Adelaide and defeats to Sebastian Baez and Taylor Fritz in the United Cup. Now, Munar advances to face Casper Ruud, whom he beat once at the 2022 Japan Open, offering a chance to break new ground in Melbourne.
