Jannik Sinner beats Alexander Zverev in 3 sets for 2nd straight Australian Open title

Howard Fendrich · The Associated Press

· Posted: Jan 26, 2025 7:12 AM EST | Last Updated: January 26

There's each sorts of ways beyond simply the people to measurement conscionable however ascendant Jannik Sinner was portion outplaying and frustrating Alexander Zverev during the 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 triumph Sunday that earned the 23-year-old Italian a 2nd consecutive Australian Open championship.

The zero interruption points Sinner faced. Or the 10 helium accumulated. The 27-13 vantage successful points that lasted astatine slightest 9 strokes. Or the mode Sinner accumulated much winners, 32 to 25, and less unforced errors, 27 to 45. The mode Sinner won 10 of the 13 points that ended with him astatine the net. Or the mode helium lone fto Zverev spell 14 of 27 successful that category, often zipping passing shots retired of reach.

Well, here's is 1 much spot of evidence: what Zverev said astir Sinner.

"I'm serving amended than him, but that's it. He does everything other amended than me. He moves amended than me. He hits his forehand amended than me. He hits his backhand amended than me. He returns amended than me. He volleys amended than me," Zverev said. "At the extremity of the day, tennis has 5 oregon six monolithic shots — like, monolithic factors — and helium does 4 oregon 5 of them amended than me. That's the crushed wherefore helium won."

High praise from a feline who is, aft all, ranked No. 2. Sinner has held the No. 1 spot since past June and is not showing immoderate signs of relinquishing it. This was the archetypal Australian Open last betwixt the men astatine No. 1 and No. 2 since 2019, erstwhile No. 1 Novak Djokovic defeated No. 2 Rafael Nadal — besides successful consecutive sets.

"It's amazing," Sinner said, "to execute these things."

The "things" see being the youngest antheral to permission Melbourne Park with the trophy 2 years successful a enactment since Jim Courier successful 1992-93, and the archetypal antheral since Nadal astatine the French Open successful 2005 and 2006 to travel up his archetypal Grand Slam rubric by repeating arsenic the champion astatine the aforesaid tourney a twelvemonth later.

Sinner was asked aboriginal whether helium felt much alleviation oregon excitement erstwhile helium raised his arms aft the past constituent was his.

"This 1 was joy. We managed to bash thing unthinkable this time, due to the fact that the concern I was successful was wholly antithetic from a twelvemonth agone here," helium said. "I had much pressure."

Probably true, but's hard to tell.

Go to the commencement of 2024, and instrumentality stock. In that span, Sinner has won 3 of the 5 large tournaments, including the U.S. Open successful September, meaning helium present has claimed 3 consecutive hard-court Slams. His grounds is 80-6 with 9 titles. His existent unbeaten tally covers 21 matches.

"There's ever thing that tin get better," said 1 of his 2 coaches, Simone Vagnozzi. "He is playing truly good close present and everything comes easily. But determination volition beryllium pugnacious moments ahead."

The lone happening that's clouded the past 12 months for Sinner, it seems, is the doping lawsuit successful which his exoneration was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency. He tested affirmative for a hint magnitude of an anabolic steroid doubly past March but blamed it connected an accidental vulnerability involving 2 members of his squad who person since been fired. Sinner initially was cleared successful August; a proceeding successful the WADA entreaty is scheduled for April.

"I support playing similar this due to the fact that I person a wide caput connected what happened," Sinner said Sunday. "I cognize if I would beryllium guilty, I would not play similar this."

While helium became the eighth antheral successful the Open epoch (which began successful 1968) to commencement his vocation 3-0 successful Grand Slam finals, Zverev is the seventh to beryllium 0-3, adding this nonaccomplishment to those astatine the 2020 U.S. Open and past year's French Open.

Those earlier setbacks some came successful 5 sets. This contention was not that close. Not astatine all.

"I'll support doing everything I can," Zverev said, "to assistance 1 of those trophies."

Names of Zverev's past accusers shouted out

Just earlier Zverev began speaking into a microphone during the trophy ceremony, a dependable cried retired from the stands, making notation to 2 of the player's ex-girlfriends who accused him of carnal abuse.

During the match, determination genuinely was lone 1 infinitesimal that contained a hint of tension. It came erstwhile Zverev was 2 points from owning the 2nd acceptable astatine 5-4, love-30. But a interruption constituent — and a acceptable constituent — ne'er arrived.

A twelvemonth ago, Sinner went done a batch much occupation to gain his archetypal major, needing to get past Novak Djokovic — who discontinue 1 acceptable into his semifinal against Zverev connected Friday due to the fact that of a torn hamstring — earlier erasing a two-set shortage successful the last against 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev.

This time, Sinner applied unit with an all-around benignant that does not truly look to person holes.

He proved superior successful each meaningful mode different than aces, leaving Zverev shaking his caput oregon trudging to the sideline with shoulders sagging oregon cracking his racket against the tribunal oregon against different racket.

Perfectly understandable, fixed what Sinner tin bash to an opponent, particularly connected a hard court.

"The facts talk for themselves," Zverev said. "He's successful a antithetic beingness close now."