Jannik Sinner secured his second successive Australian Open title on Sunday by winning in a dominating straight-sets victory over Alexander Zverev: 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. Sinner’s victory placed him in the history books as the first Italian male or female to win three Grand Slam titles, breaking Nicola Pietrangeli’s record of two.
Entering the Elite Club
With his victory, the 23-year-old Italian joined tennis legends Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic as the only men to successfully defend their Australian Open titles this century. Sinner’s dominance throughout the tournament reaffirmed his position as the world’s top-ranked player.
A battle of the two top players ensued.
The final pitted the top two players in the world rankings against each other. Sinner faced stiff competition from Germany’s Alexander Zverev, who has yet to win a Grand Slam title despite reaching his third major final. Zverev’s efforts fell short as Sinner showcased incredible mental fortitude and clinical precision to outclass him.
Match Highlights
First Set: Sinner was aggressive from the beginning, hitting an ace on his first service game and keeping pressure on his opponent. In the eighth game, the Italian won a break that sealed the set after 46 minutes.
Second Set: Zverev fought off several break points to take the set to a tiebreaker. Sinner then capitalized on a net cord to take the tiebreaker easily and level out the match at one set all.
Third Set: Sinner never let up on the attack and eventually broke Zverev’s service at 4-2. Zverev was visibly agitated and was unable to regroup as Sinner took home the match.
Sinner in Exceptional Form
This win took Sinner’s winning run to 21 matches and gave him his 19th career victory. His mastership at tiebreaks has aided him this season—winning all four he played this year in Melbourne, as well as 16 of his last 18.
Challenges off the court
Victory for Sinner comes as a doping case is ongoing against the Italian, who tested positive twice in one year for traces of a steroid known as clostebol. The Italian was exonerated due to conflicting results, but the ruling has been appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, seeking a lengthy ban. A hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport is scheduled for April. Despite uncertainty hanging over him, Sinner has been able to keep focused and continue his winning run.
Zverev Continues Struggles
Alexander Zverev, who came to the final with a 4-2 head-to-head against Sinner, was simply unable to equal the Italian man’s steady play. All of Zverev’s previous wins over Sinner happened before that when Sinner had become a world number one and won his first Grand Slam title. This loss was another disappointment for Zverev as one of the greatest players to never have bagged himself a major title.
Career of Sinner Before the final:
In 2024, Sinner won eight titles, which included the US Open and the ATP Finals, to become the first player since 2005 and Roger Federer to finish a season without losing a set. The consistency he has shown has made him one of the dominant players in men’s tennis.
Jannik Sinner’s Australian Open triumph underscores his growing legacy in the sport. With three Grand Slam titles to his name and his unmatched mental strength, he continues to inspire a new generation of players while facing challenges both on and off the court.