Australian Open 2025 in pictures: What Sinner said to Zverev in 'intimate' post-match moment
Updated . First published
What Sinner told Zverev in intimate moment
Jannik Sinner beat Alexander Zverev in three sets to win the men's Australian Open title for a second straight year.
Moments before the trophy presentation began, Sinner walked over to Zverev, put his hands on his shoulders and spoke to him.
It was an intimate moment between the two of them at a moment Zverev was clearly battling some big emotions.
Speaking to media after the match, Zverev revealed the Italian had told him he believed he would one day lift a major trophy.
"I was quite down. I was quite emotional. I think he saw that. He said that I will definitely lift one of these trophies in my career. I'm too good not to," he said.
"That's his words.
"It was just a difficult moment for me. For the third time, seeing somebody lift the trophy, me standing next to that is difficult because there's nothing more I want than to be able to hold one of those trophies in my hands."
Friends again
Speaking on the Nine desk, Jim Courier said it looked like an "intimate" moment between the two.
Sinner said nobody deserved a major trophy as much as Zverev.
"I told him that he is one of the best players in the worlds and he has to keep believing in himself and he has a great team, a great family, everyone is pushing him to do the right thing," the Italian said.
"He has improved a lot. There is no other player who deserves to hold this kind of trophy (than) him. I do believe that he will be a Grand Slam champion at some point.
"I wish him only the best. He's a good man."
The painful wait
One of the hardest parts about losing the final would be in the moments immediately after the match.
After every other match in the tournament, the loser quickly packs their bags and scurries off court, but the presentations means that's not the case in the final match of the tournament.
What could have been
Zverev was forced to sit there as Sinner scrambled through the crowds and celebrated with his team and the Italian fans.
"It was a little bit of a tough moment for me, because I really went into the final ... I really thought I had a very good chance," he said after the match.
"I was feeling good. I was feeling the ball quite well. I was feeling like I can compete.
Two-time champion
Sinner entered the match under something of an injury cloud, but showed no signs of ailments in the straight-sets win over the German.
Watching the ball
Zverev said he didn't feel like he player poorly, Sinner is just better.
"He completely outplayed me," he said.
"I'm serving better than him, but that's it. He does everything else better than me.
"He hits his forehand better than me. He hits his backhand better than me. He volleys better than me.
"At the end of the day, tennis has five or six massive shots, massive factors, and he does four of five of them better than me.
"That's the reason he won. He deserved to win."
Frustrations
The second set was crucial. It went to a tiebreak and may have decided the final outcome of the match.
Sinner had some luck though - he won a crucial point in that tiebreak off a lucky net cord.
After losing that set, Zverev walked over to his bag and smashed it up with a racquet.
"I felt like I could win the second set," Zverev said.
"I felt like that was a massive point. I think whoever wins that set, can get a little bit of momentum.
"Down two sets to love, his confidence goes up, mine goes down.
"It's a lone way back then against someone like Sinner."
Pop the cork
Madison Keys sprays champagne at the cameras during her glamour photo shoot the day after winning her maiden grand slam in the Australian Open women's final.
Coincidentally, the celebrations took place on Australia Day, an added slice of significance on top of what was already a special moment.
The house behind the American hints at the special place in her heart the land Down Under now has.
Winning smile
Keys wears a big smile during her photo shoot as the Australian Open's women's singles champion.
Cuddling the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, Key marked her maiden grand slam victory by posing in front of the Australian-flag-themed bathing box.
With Key's first major victory being celebrated Down Under and on Australia Day, Melbourne may have just become the Florida local's new favourite holiday destination.
Keys to the city
The American 29-year-old stunned in a pleated blue dress as beachgoers tried to catch a glimpse of her and the trophy.
