Jannik Sinner v Alexander Zverev: Australian Open 2025 Men’s Singles Final – Live | Australian Open 2025

*Sinner 6-3 Zverev Sinner quickly makes it 15-0, then seizes control of a physical rally with a running, hanging forehand down the line. And even when caught in the next, net, he covers it brilliantly, too cleverly for Zverev, and with a flickering backhand volley he raises three set points, evidently covering the first with an ace down the T. He looks too good out to the Moment – speaking of which I urge you to wrap your ears around below, an Afrobeats and Amapiano set brought to you by my man DJ Shagy, from Polo Beach Club, Accra – the biggest disco in the world.

Sinner 5-3 Zverev* Big strikes down the middle and then Sinner makes a bit of an angle and Zverev nets … then goes long forehand. And while a fine serve wide is too good, another weak volley gives Sinner time to neck an espresso before he turns a forehand winner down the line, raising two break points in the process. So Zverev nails his fastest serve of the match so far, another persuades Sinner to return long, and though he can’t close out on his first advantage, a brutal second serve down the middle earns another… only for him to net a forehand. This feels like a big moment in the match, and it’s Sins who embrace it, a slide and stretch, legs akimbo like Bambi on ice, setting him up for a glorious backhand winner down the line both likely and unlikely. Again Zverev saves the break point and again Sinner raises one, the more consistent and definitive hitter, and this time when the impatient German comes in from a weak approach, he can’t return the pass! The champ strikes first and will now serve for set one!

*Sinner 4-3 Zverev An overhead from close to the baseline, sent with confidence, makes it 15-0, then a return clips the top of the net and falls on Zverev’s side. Sinner then flows fractionally long on the backhand and nets a forehand that offers a glimpse of 30-all; A service winner down the T follows as Tim notes the side serving from now, to the right of the umpire’s chair, is the one that has seen the overwhelming majority of breaks due to wind direction. But when Zverev Nets, Sinner holds, and at the change of ends, he asks the referee for the return of his racket, which he says he needs back now, having sent them to the stringer an hour before the match. This doesn’t feel like the kind of distraction he needs.

Sinner 3-3 Zverev* After a tentative start, it seems that Zverev is now more committed to attacking, but can he hit accurately enough long enough for it to work? He pulls a forehand wide to surrender 15-all and then gives a chance on another serve, but Sinner’s return down the line is wide. An ace down the T then follows one out wide and the German nonchalantly returns the marbles. This is very tight, intense and intensified.

*Sinner 3-2 Zverev Zverev’s best point so far, taking control of the first rally of the game and refusing to let up until a big forehand winner secures it. Then, well into the next, he strikes wide with one that flies over the touchline, but he looks to attack now, settled into the fight; It’s a good sign for him and for us, although a service winner down the T makes it 30-15. This is shaping up now, the culprit soon netting a volley to clinch deuce, then Zverev slightly overhands a forehand cross after being sent wider than ideal. An error from the Italian then recovers Deuce, but from there he closes out as Zverev looks to force the issue, the sense that Sinner’s consistency from behind might just be the decisive aspect that ultimately defines and sets this match.

Sinner 2-2 Zverev*Excellent return from Sinner, laced to the line – if he can get after second serve regularly, he wins – and a subsequent error from Zverev means at 0-30, the pressure is on. All the more so when at 15-30 he tries a drop that is too loopy, especially on the road on the way, the time it takes to get there gives Sinner plenty of time to plan his pass. Two break points … both saved confidently enough thanks to two big first servers. And from there, Zverev cruises through Deuce, celebrating his hold with a loud “Let’s go!”, arguably the worst war cry in sports. This heats up…

*Anger 2-1 Zverev At 30-0, the first serious rally served up the culprit and Zverev smashed the 23rd stroke long. A service winner and a toxic cleanup ensue; The champ has decided immediately.

Hinners 1-1 Zverev* Silence that Zverev throws and already plays a rally longer than anything we saw in the last game – maybe compounded. But Sinner swipes wide looking for a backhand winner and then connects wide on the forehand; 30-0. Zverev, knowing he’s playing safe on big points, hits down the middle a lot while Sinner looks for winners and as I type the champion finds his first of the game, an inside out backhand pass … promptly canceled out by an ace . A long backhand follows and it’s Zverev’s hold sealed; He’ll feel better for it, but so far looks a lot less chill than his famously imperturbable opponent.

*Sinner 1-0 Zverev (*denotes server) Is Zverev nervous? I know it’s become more fashionable to let an opponent serve, but I thought he wanted to grab things right away, set the tone and establish a lead. Sinner begins with an ace down the T and very quickly secures a love hold. I doubt that was Zverev’s plan, and he hasn’t exactly felt Ball on the ropes to settle him as he prepares to deliver himself.

Zverev puts the sinner in to serve, Ready … play.

It’s hard to see Sinner playing bad enough to lose this in three or four. If he’s going to beat Zverev, I think, he’ll have to outplay him down the stretch – something he’s yet to show he’s capable of.

And here come our players!

What I love about Sinner is how comfortable he is in his own skinable to laugh at himself without compromise. He knows he lacks the magnetism and charisma that some have, but is so comfortable with who he is, he has turned it into magnetism and charisma of his own.

Sinner is 94% on hard courts since winning in Australia in 2024 and beating Zverev in their only meeting this year. Alcaraz gives him grief because of how fast he plays, but he moves so well and hits so consistently, even a unique genius has to play lights out to lay one over him.

So how will our match today go? Sinner is the favorite in part because he knows he can do it, 2-0 in finals to Zverev’s 0-2. But he’s also hitting more consistently and hard both shots have improved, Zverev can battle on the forehand and volley with sins good enough to target both. I expect the champion to sit on the baseline, plant feet if he can, and look to keep Zverev moving and guessing; Zverev will, I think, hope to pull him in to hit passes.

Yesterday was a good day for this blog, part two: Longtime and even occasional readers will know that the good stuff comes from coach Calvin Betton. Well, coach Calv and his charge, Henry Patten, along with Harri Heliovaara, have now added the men’s doubles Australian Open title to the one they won at Wimbledon earlier this year. Mazal Tov!

I’m posting this not only because she’s a favorite, but because Zverev would do well to watch: Another player with a massive game but prone to collapse who can’t quite deliver his best when he really needs to.

Maddy explains in more detail:

1:21

I absolutely love this:

“I finally got to the point where I was okay if it didn’t happen,” she said. “I didn’t need it to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great player. Finally, letting go of the internal talk gave me the ability to go out and play some really good tennis to win a Grand Slam. “

I remember Andy Murray saying that after he lost the 2012 Wimbledon final to Roger Federer, he had to deal with the prospect of never winning a major. Two months later he was Olympic Champion and US Open Champion.

Yesterday was a good day for this blog, One of our longtime favorites, our Maddy finally working out how to create the destiny she thought had gotten away from her.

Agreed. His serve and backhand are among the best shots in the game, but can Zverev continue to aggress if and when the going gets tight? Sinner knows he can trust himself to treat every point equally.

Preamble