2025 Australian Open: Jannik Sinner goes back-to-back, beating Alexander Zverev for third Grand Slam title

Yahoo

26-01-2025

Defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner has done it again. Sinner topped Alexander Zverev in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 5-3 in the 2025 Australian Open final, cementing his third career Grand Slam title.
The world No. 1 was in control nearly the entire match against No. 2 Zverev, repeating as Australian Open champion and winning his 19th overall title. Sinner won the 2024 Australian Open and US Open, and made it to the semifinals of the 2024 French Open and Wimbledon in 2023. With the win, 23-year-old Sinner becomes the first Italian man to win three majors.
Sinner and Zverev have met six times before, with Zverev winning four of those matchups. In their last meeting, Sinner topped Zverev in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open.
Sinner started strong during a back-and-forth first set, and Zverev was clearly frustrated toward the end of it as he struggled with his forehand. Advantage Sinner, 6-3.
Zverev looked and played more confidently in the second set, where Sinner showed some signs of strain, grabbing at his left hamstring, which also hobbled him in his semifinal win over Ben Shelton. But Sinner never let Zverev run away with it, and the set went to a tiebreak, which Sinner won 7-4 to take the second set 7-6. Zverev, who seemingly had issues with his racquets during the match, returned to the sideline and smashed one in frustration. Up to that point, both players were 3-0 in tiebreaks during the tournament.
Sinner's serving accuracy
🤯🤯🤯Sit down, settle in and enjoy the two best players in the world at their best.And then watch it again!@janniksin • @alexzverev • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/qliTYZXX29
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2025
From there, Sinner cruised. Zverev was clearly flagging, his body language defeated, and the third set was the least competitive of the match. Sinner didn't face a break point on Sunday and his serving accuracy shined.
💥🔨Hard to stop when he's in this mood and this groove!@janniksin holds, breaks and leads this crucial third set 4-2@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/lLYAj4NzpF
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2025
Sinner now holds a 21-match win streak at hardcourt majors; his last loss came at the 2023 US Open against Zverev in the round of 16.
En route to the final in Melbourne, Sinner topped 21-seed Shelton, 8-seed Alex de Minaur, 13-seed Holger Rune, Marcos Giron, Tristan Schoolkate and Nicolas Jerry.
Zverev has 23 career titles but has never won a Grand Slam — the closest he's come was the 2024 French Open final, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz, and the 2020 US Open, which Dominic Thiem won.
Zverev made it to the final after 7-seed Novak Djokovic withdrew from their semifinal, and beat 12-seed Tommy Paul, Ugo Humbert, Jacob Fearnley, Pedro Martinez and Lucas Pouille.