Jannik Sinner showcased a near-flawless performance to defend his Australian Open crown in the men's final, triumphing over second-seed Alexander Zverev in straight sets with scores of 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. This victory marks Sinner's third career Grand Slam title, underscoring his rising dominance in the tennis world. The young Italian etched his name in history by becoming the youngest man to win at Melbourne Park two consecutive years since Jim Courier achieved this feat in 1992-93. Additionally, Sinner joined an elite group by becoming the first man since Rafael Nadal at the French Open in 2005-06 to follow up his first Grand Slam title by repeating as the champion at the same tournament a year later.
Sinner's victory was characterized by his commanding service games, which left Zverev struggling to break through. Sinner appeared almost unassailable with ball in hand, while Zverev faced significant pressure on his service games. The Italian broke on his fourth break point opportunity in the opening set and went on to serve out a 6-3 win. Despite Zverev's efforts, Sinner continually placed him under more duress during service games.
"All things considered, amazing run again here in Australia," said Jannik Sinner.
Sinner's current unbeaten streak extends to 21 matches, including an impressive 20-match hard-court win streak in major tournaments. Since the beginning of 2024, Sinner has emerged victorious in three of the five major tournaments, including a memorable win at the US Open in September. His record during this period stands at a remarkable 80-6, complemented by nine tournament titles.
The final match against Zverev highlighted Sinner’s enduring form. Sinner dispatched Zverev without facing a single break point throughout the match, marking him as just the fourth man to achieve this feat in a major final since 1991. The final set concluded with Sinner serving out a 6-3 victory, as Zverev was unable to recover from a 15-40 deficit in the eighth game.
"I'm extremely happy. Sharing this with the team here and family and the people I love, it's amazing," expressed Jannik Sinner after his victory.
Sinner's performance was met with admiration, even from his opponent. While Zverev was not playing poorly, he acknowledged the gap between their levels of play. Despite being the first man in tennis history to compete in his first three major finals at three different Slams and lose each one, Zverev demonstrated resilience but found himself outmatched by Sinner’s prowess.
"In general, I think Jannik is better than me at the moment," admitted Alexander Zverev.
This match further solidified Sinner’s reputation as one of tennis's most formidable players. His ability to maintain high-quality performance under pressure continues to impress spectators and analysts alike.
"It was an amazing performance from my side," stated Jannik Sinner.
Sinner’s strategy involved leveraging his powerful serve and quick adaptability on court. He focused on getting into his zone swiftly, which paid dividends throughout the match.
"I felt like I was in the beginning of the match serving really well and trying to get into the zone very fast. It was a very high-quality [match] from my side," added Jannik Sinner.
Leave a Reply