Australia’s Melbourne There are many ways to gauge Jannik Sinner’s dominance beyond just the score. She outplayed and frustrated Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 triumph, which gave the 23-year-old Italian a second consecutive Australian Open title.
Sinner had zero break points. or the ten that he amassed. the lead in points that lasted for at least nine strokes, 27–13. Or how Sinner made less unforced errors (27 to 45) and more victories (32 to 25). The manner in which Sinner finished with the net after winning 10 of the 13 points. Or how, often zipping passing shots out of reach, he only allowed Zverev to go 14 of 27 in that category.
Here’s another piece of proof, though: Zverev’s remarks regarding Sinner.
That’s all. I’m serving better than him. He’s better than me at everything else. I can’t move as well as he can. He is a better forehand hitter than I am. He is a better backhand hitter than I am. I don’t return as well as he does. Zverev remarked, “He volleys better than me.” Ultimately, tennis consists of five or six huge strokes, or enormous elements, and he is better than me at four or five of them. That’s why he prevailed.
Great compliments from a man who is, after all, ranked number two. Since last June, Sinner has maintained the top rank, and there are no indications that he will give it up. Since 2019, when No. 1 Novak Djokovic upset No. 2 Rafael Nadal in straight sets, this was the first Australian Open final between the top two seeds.
Sinner remarked that it’s incredible to accomplish these things.
It includes being the youngest man to win the trophy twice in a row since Jim Courier in 1992–1993, and the first man since Rafael Nadal at the French Open in 2005 and 2006 to repeat as the winner of the same tournament a year after winning his first Grand Slam championship.
Later, as Sinner raised his arms after the final point was his, he was asked if he felt more relief or excitement.
Joy was this one. I was in a very different scenario than I was a year earlier, so we were able to accomplish something amazing this time, he said. I was under more strain.
It’s difficult to know, but probably true.
Turn to the beginning of 2024 and reflect. Sinner currently has three consecutive hard-court Slams after winning three of the five major tournaments during that time, including the U.S. Open in September. He has won nine titles and has an 80-6 record. He has gone 21 games without losing.
One of his two coaches, Simone Vagnozzi, stated that there is always room for improvement. Right now, he is playing incredibly well, and everything comes naturally to him. However, there will be difficult times in the future.
It appears that the only thing that has darkened Sinner’s previous 12 months is the doping case in which the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed his exoneration. In March of last year, he tested positive twice for trace amounts of anabolic steroids, but he attributed the results to an unintentional exposure involving two of his team members who were later sacked. Sinner was first exonerated in August; the WADA appeal hearing is set for April.
“I continue to play this way because I have a clear understanding of what transpired,” Sinner stated on Sunday. I am aware that I wouldn’t play this way if I were guilty.
In addition to losing at the 2020 U.S. Open and the French Open last year, Zverev is the seventh player to begin his career 3-0 in Grand Slam finals, making him the eighth man in the Open era (which began in 1968) to do it.
Both of those earlier losses were five-set affairs. This was not a tight contest. Absolutely not.
Zverev declared, “I’ll keep doing everything I can to lift one of those trophies.”
A voice shouted from the audience just before Zverev started talking into a microphone during the trophy ceremony, referring to two of the player’s former girlfriends who had accused him of physical abuse.
There was really only one instance during the game where there was a tinge of tension. It happened at 5-4, love-30, when Zverev was two points away from winning the second set. However, neither a set point nor a break point ever materialized.
Sinner had to overcome Novak Djokovic, who retired one set into his semifinal match against Zverev on Friday due to a torn hamstring, and overcome a two-set deficit in the final against 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev a year ago in order to earn his first major.
This time, Sinner used an all-around technique that doesn’t seem to have any gaps in it to apply pressure.
Zverev was left shaking his head, stumbling to the sideline with his shoulders slumped, or breaking his racket against the court or another racket as he demonstrated his superiority in every significant measure except aces.
Given what Sinner can do to an opponent, particularly on a hard court, that makes perfect sense.
According to Zverev, the facts speak for themselves. He is currently in a different universe.