Clinical Jannik Sinner defeats volatile Alexander Zverev at Australian Open to clinch third grand slam title
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Top seed Jannik Sinner triumphed in straight sets over a volatile Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open men's singles final to clinch his third grand slam title on Sunday night.
Italy's Sinner successfully defended his Australian Open crown in a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over Germany's Zverev on Rod Laver Arena, raking in more silverware as well as $3.5 million to take the total of his career prize money beyond the $40 million mark.
The 23-year-old Sinner became the first Italian, male or female, to win three grand slam titles.
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Since it became public in August that he'd tested positive for minuscule traces of a performance-enhancing drug called Clostebol, but avoided a ban due to a "no fault or negligence" ruling, he has contested two majors and won both: the US Open and Australian Open.
In April, Sinner will face the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) decision to not suspend him.
At Melbourne Park on Sunday night, Sinner fans held their collective breath when the world No.1 clutched at the upper part of his left hamstring while trailing 4-3 in the second set. He massaged the muscle as he walked with caution back to his kit, then received medical attention.
Jannik Sinner celebrates at Melbourne Park. Eddie Jim
The following game began with a 17-shot rally in which Sinner bounced from side to side on the baseline before beating Zverev with an express forehand, easing the concerns of his supporters who had seen him struggle physically on numerous occasions en route to the final.
He didn't appear to be hampered over the remainder of the match.
The second-set tiebreak delivered momentum for Sinner and misery for Zverev, who was left venting after the Italian won a point with a net cord to take a 5-4 lead.
"What a stroke of luck for Sinner," said US tennis icon Jim Courier on the Nine broadcast.
Zverev hit Sinner's ensuing serve into the net, then was beaten by a rapid forehand that kissed the white paint to seal the tiebreak.
Zverev imploded, moping back to his kit and proceeding to smash three racquets one after the other.
That meltdown followed a moment of frustration in the first set in which Zverev realised that racquets he had sent to be re-strung were not courtside, leaving him in flustered conversations with the chair umpire and his coaching team.
The first break of the third set gave Sinner a 4-2 lead, before the young phenom closed it out with two holds of serve and wrapped up the match in two hours and 42 minutes.
The most entertaining rally of the night came in the final game before the second-set tiebreak, as a 21-shot exchange featuring a drop shot, a lob shot, quickfire volleys at the net, powerful baseline returns and a backhand winner down the line left the crowd standing and applauding. Sinner not only won the match, but the point of the match.
Zverev, renowned for serving big, slammed home 12 aces to Sinner's six, but racked up 45 unforced errors to the Italian's 27.
In an indication of the relative ease with which Sinner won the final, the red-headed youngster did not face a single break point.
Zverev, the second seed, featured in his third grand slam final on Sunday night but is still searching for a maiden major title.
"Talking about my team, what can I say?" said Sinner, who's coached by Australian Darren Cahill and Italian Simone Vagnozzi.
"We worked a lot to be in this position. It's an amazing feeling to share this moment with all of you."
Jannik Sinner (left) and Alexander Zverev embrace after the final. Eddie Jim
Zverev won $1.9 million for finishing as the runner-up at Melbourne Park.
The 27-year-old German spoke with raw honesty after his loss.
"First of all, I mean, it sucks standing so close to this thing [the Australian Open trophy] and not being able to touch it," Zverev said.
"Congratulations to Jannik. You more than deserve it. You're the best player in the world by far.
"I was hoping that I could be more competitive today, but you're just too good. It's as simple as that."
