Jannik Sinner beats Alexander Zverev in 3 sets for his second Australian Open Title in a row

Melbourne, Australia – there are all sorts of ways beyond mere score to measure how dominant Jannik Sinner were while playing out and frustrating Alexander Zverev Under 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory Sunday giving the 23-year-old Italian the second time in a row Australian Open championship.

The zero fracture points that Sinner faced. Or the 10 he accumulated. The advantage of 27-13 in points that held at least nine strokes. Or the way the Sinner accumulated more winners, 32 to 25, and fewer unhappy errors, 27 to 45. That way Sinner won 10 of the 13 points that ended with him at the net. Or the way he only let Zverev go 14 of 27 in the category where he often zipped pass shoots out of reach.

Well, here’s another proof: What Zverev said about Sinner.

“I earn better than him, but that’s it. He’s doing everything else better than me. He’s moving better than me. He beats his forhand better than me. He beats his back hand better than me. He returns better than me. He Volleyser better than me, “Zverev said. “At the end of the day, tennis has five or six massive blows – like massive factors – and he makes four or five of them better than me. That’s the reason he won.”

Great praise from a guy who, after all, is ranked No. 2. Sinner has had No. 1 place since last June and showing no signs of giving up on that. This was the first Australian Open final between the men in Nos. 1 and No. 2 since 2019, then No. 1 Novak Djokovic defeated No. 2 Rafael Nadal – Also in straight sets.

“It’s amazing,” Sinner said, “to achieve these things.”

“Things” includes being the youngest man to leave Melbourne Park with the trophy two years in a row since Jim Courier in 1992-93, and the first man since Nadal at the French Open in 2005 and 2006 to follow up on his first Grand Slam Title by repeating as a master at the same tournament a year later.

Sinner was later asked if he felt more relief or enthusiasm when he lifted his arms after the last point was his.

“This one was joy. We managed to do something incredible this time, because the situation I was in was completely different from a year ago here,” he said. “I had more pressure.”

Probably true, but it’s hard to say.

Go to the beginning of 2024, and make status. During that time, Sinner has won three of the five major tournaments, including the US Open in September, which means he has now won three Straight Hard-Court Slams. His record is 80-6 with nine titles. His current undefeated race covers 21 games.

“There is always something that can get better,” said one of his two coaches, Simone Vagnozzi. “He is playing really well right now and everything is coming easy. But there are tough moments ahead. “

The only thing that has been plumming the last 12 months for Sinner, it seems to, is the doping case Where his exemption was appealed by World Anti-Doping Agency. He tested positive for a trace amount of an anabolic steroid twice in March last year, but owed it to an unintended exposure involving two members of his team, who have since been fired. Sinner was originally cleared in August; -one Hearing in the Wada complaint is scheduled for April.

“I keep playing like this because I have a clear mind about what happened,” Sinner said Sunday. “I know that if I would be guilty I wouldn’t play like this.”

While becoming the eighth man in the open-era (who began in 1968) to start his career 3-0 in the Grand Slam finals, Zverev is the seventh with 0-3Which puts this loss to them at the US Open and last year’s French Open.

These previous setbacks both came in five sets. This competition was not that close. Not at all.

“I will keep doing everything I can,” Zverev said, “to lift one of those trophies.”

Just before Zverev started talking into a microphone during the trophy germ, shouting a voice from the stands with reference to two of the player’s ex -girlfriends who accused him of physical abuse.

During the match, there was really only a moment that contained a hint of excitement. It happened when Zverev was two points from owning the second set of 5-4, Love-30. But a breaking point – and a set point – never reached.

A year ago, Sinner went through much more problems to get his first major when he had to pass Novak Djokovic – who left a set in its semi -final against Zverev last Friday due to an overgrown back thigh – before blur a deficit in two sets in the final Against 2021 US Open Master Daniil Medvedev.

This time, Sinner put pressure with an all-around style that doesn’t really seem to have holes.

He proved superior in all meaningful ways except for aces, leaving Zverev shaking his head or trotting to the sidelines with his shoulders hanging or cracking his racket against the field or against another racket.

Completely understandable, given what Sinner can do against an opponent, especially on a tough lane.

“The facts speak for themselves,” Zverev said. “He’s in another universe right now.”