Jannik Sinner is fast building a case for greatness after crushing Alexander Zverev’s hopes of a Grand Slam title, successfully defending his Australian Open crown on Sunday night.
The first Italian player to win three major singles titles and the youngest to go back-to-back at Melbourne Park since Jim Courier in 1993, Sinner clinically dismantled the German 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3.
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The 23-year-old became the first man to successfully defend a maiden Grand Slam title since Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2006 and the first player since 1973 to land 10 successive straight-sets victories over top-10 opponents.
In his final Australian Open with revered coach Darren Cahill as part of his team, there was added motivation.
“Talking about my team, what can I say? We worked a lot to be again in this position. It’s an amazing feeling to share this moment with all of you,” Sinner said. “I know Darren it’s your probably – maybe I try to convince you [otherwise] – but it’s your last Australian Open as a coach and I’m very, very happy to share this trophy with you … You and Simone [Vagnozzi]. I think you are an amazing combination of coaches …
“For me until now, and hopefully it keeps going like this, it’s the most special Grand Slam.”
In his 14th showdown against a top-five opponent at a Slam, Zverev needed to overcome an abysmal record. The only time he’d prevailed was against Carlos Alcaraz, but that at least came at this arena also under lights, in the quarterfinals, a year ago.
The German withstood early pressure on serve. In the seventh game on the sixth break point though, Sinner pounced and held to love on his third ace for the opening set.
Since 1973, the only player to beat the world No.1 after conceding the opening set in the men’s final was Andre Agassi against Pete Sampras in 1995. Zverev clearly had to conjure up something special.
Twice before he had gone the distance in a Grand Slam decider only to succumb – at the 2020 US Open to Dominic Thiem from two sets up and last year against Alcaraz at Roland Garros.
This was arguably the highest sustained level he had confronted of the three title matches.
Early in the second set, the signs were ominous. He was being outplayed from the back of the court, which briefly and unsuccessfully elicited more net approaches.
Still, he stayed the course and two points from levelling the match against the run of play at 6-5, Sinner ended the point of the match with a passing shot on the run to lift the crowd to its feet.
As the pair headed to a tiebreak, the reigning champion could draw confidence having claimed 15 of his past 17, including all three at this year’s Australian Open.
A little luck never went astray either. A net-cord winner from the top seed came at the most opportune time as it handed him the chance to serve for a two-set lead. He threaded the needle and clipped the line to close within a set of the finish line.
Three times Zverev had fought back from two sets down but he needed to do so for the first time in 12 attempts against a top-20 opponent and when the break came in the sixth game of the third set, there was no masking his dejection.
The reigning champion opened the floodgates and joined elite company as just the eighth man after Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg, Gustavo Kuerten, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Carlos Alcaraz in the Open era to win their first three Grand Slam finals.
“You’re the best player in the world by far,” Zverev said. “I was hoping that I could be more competitive today, but you were just too good. It’s as simple as that … You’ve done all the right things, there’s no one who deserves the trophy more.
“I want to thank my team. We’re trying to do all the right work. I’m just not good enough. I really appreciate what everyone has done over the last few years, back from my ankle injury to No.2 and playing Grand Slam finals again…
"I really did think I had a chance but here I am. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to lift the trophy but I’ll keep trying.”
Sinner has now won his past 21 matches at all levels and his past 21 at hard-court majors dating back to a five-set 2023 US Open quarterfinal defeat to his rival on Sunday night.
His 47th win from his first 50 matches as world No.1 tied the benchmark Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors had set.
Sinner's dominant march to destiny continues.