Melbourne, Australia, Jan 26 (EFE).– Italy’s Jannik Sinner was unstoppable in clinching his third Grand Slam title with a commanding 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Germany’s Alexander Zverev (2) in the Australian Open final on Sunday.
While Sinner etched his name in history as the first Italian to claim three majors, Zverev endured his third defeat in a Grand Slam final, adding to his growing tally of near-misses on tennis’s biggest stage.
Sinner is now one title shy of Carlos Alcaraz’s four majors.
The 2025 Australian Open final coincided with Australia’s national day, bringing festive crowds to Melbourne’s pubs near Melbourne Park. Fans adorned in Italian colors filled the stands, while German supporters were notably scarce.
Ahead of the men’s final, the women’s doubles final saw Czech Katerina Siniakova claim her 10th Grand Slam alongside American Taylor Townsend after a thrilling three-set battle.
The pre-match ceremony featured a performance of the national anthem and a segment from the musical Beauty and the Beast, currently a hit in Melbourne’s theaters. As the match began, Rod Laver Arena was at full capacity.
The first set showcased Sinner’s aggressive baseline play, breaking Zverev at 4-3 to take it 6-3. Zverev, despite landing 81 percent of first serves, faltered with 12 unforced errors to Sinner’s seven.
The second set went to a tiebreak. At 4-4, Sinner’s forehand clipped the net and fell on Zverev’s side, securing a crucial point. Sinner clinched the set 7-6(4), leaving a frustrated Zverev smashing his racket.
In the third set, Sinner maintained his dominance, capitalizing on Zverev’s 45 unforced errors (to Sinner’s 27) and closing the match 6-3. The Italian tallied 32 winners, compared to Zverev’s 25.
This victory marked Sinner’s second consecutive Australian Open title, following his 2024 triumph over Daniil Medvedev. He also won the 2024 US Open, achieving a perfect 3-0 record in Grand Slam finals.
Sinner joins tennis legends like Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz as one of eight players to win their first three major finals. Additionally, he became the first since Rafael Nadal (2005–06) to defend his debut Grand Slam title successfully.
Conversely, Zverev is now the seventh player to lose his first three Grand Slam finals, joining a list that includes Ivan Lendl and Andy Murray.
Despite the loss, he leads their head-to-head 4-3 but holds a poor record (1-13) against top-five opponents.
As expected, Zverev sat devastated, his head in his hands, before breaking down in tears on the court. Sinner quickly stepped in to console him and expressed confidence in him to bounce back.
“You are an amazing player. Keep believing in yourself; we all know how strong you are not only as a player but also a person,” he said.
«So keep it up, we all believe you can win one of these very, very soon.”
The ceremony took an unexpected turn when a fan interrupted Zverev’s speech as a finalist, shouting, “Australia believes you, Olga,” referencing one of the sexual assault allegations against the German player.
Security quickly escorted the fan from the venue.
Zverev chose to downplay the fan’s outburst, saying it was not cool to be in this situation.
Offering praise for his opponent, Zverev congratulated Jannik, calling him “the best player in the world.”
«I was hoping to be more competitive today, but you are too good; it’s as simple as that.”
Despite the loss, Zverev’s determination to keep striving for success resonated with the audience, underscoring the sportsmanship and respect shared by both players.
En route to the final, Sinner defeated Nicolás Jarry, Tristan Schoolkate, Marcos Giron, Holger Rune (13), Alex De Minaur (8), and Ben Shelton (21). EFE
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