# Jannik Sinner beats Alexander Zverev to defend Australian Open crown

Event date: 2025-01-26

Jannik Sinner has won the Australian Open men’s singles title for a second straight year, defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in Melbourne to add a third Grand Slam crown to his career.

The final was a straight-sets win, but the second set briefly threatened to turn the match. Zverev, the second seed, pushed hard to force pressure on Sinner’s serve and had a chance to steal momentum. The key moment came when Sinner, under strain at 5-6 and 30-30 on serve in the second set, produced a remarkable defensive point and followed it with a precise backhand winner at the net. From there, he regained control and closed out the set in the tiebreak before rolling through the third.

The victory is significant for more than one reason. Sinner successfully defended the title he won in 2024 and became the first Italian man to win three Grand Slam singles titles. According to The Guardian’s report, he also became only the eighth man in history to win his first three Grand Slam finals. Those records underline how quickly the 23-year-old has moved from breakthrough contender to established major champion.

For Zverev, the defeat extended a painful run in Grand Slam finals. The Guardian reported that he has now lost his first three major finals, leaving him still searching for a first title at that level. The match therefore reinforced a contrast that has become common in recent high-stakes meetings: Sinner’s composure in the biggest moments against Zverev’s difficulty in crossing the last hurdle.

The match itself followed a clear pattern. Sinner dictated much of the early play through long, physical rallies and broke serve once in the opening set. In the second, Zverev raised his level and saved break points, but Sinner remained more reliable in the key exchanges. A net-cord helped the Italian edge the tiebreak, after which he pressed home the advantage.

The final also carried an added layer of uncertainty off the court. The Guardian noted that Sinner was facing an ongoing anti-doping case, with a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing scheduled for April. That case is separate from the result in Melbourne, but it hangs over the rest of his season and could affect his participation at Roland Garros.

Still, the immediate story is the tennis. Sinner’s performance was efficient rather than dramatic, but it was also marked by the authority of a player who has made winning major finals look routine. The Australian Open title confirmed his status at the top of the men’s game and gave him a second straight championship in Melbourne after a run of matches that has already begun to define an era of his career.