Sinner dominates Shelton to secure back-to-back Australian Open finals

Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1 and defending champion, secured his spot in the Australian Open final for the second year in a row with a commanding 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-2 win over Ben Shelton on 24 January in Melbourne.

The Italian extended his unbeaten streak against American players in Grand Slam matches to 15-0 and now boasts 13 consecutive wins in Melbourne and 20 straight victories at hardcourt majors, having claimed the Australian Open and US Open titles in 2024.

Sinner, aged 23, will face No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final .Zverev advanced after a walkover in his semi-final against Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion. The German holds a 4-2 head-to-head record against Sinner, including two victories on outdoor hardcourts.

Meanwhile, the American men's Grand Slam drought continues, with Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open triumph still the last major title for a player from the United States. Shelton, ranked No. 21 and an Atlanta native, was appearing in his second Grand Slam semi-final but fell short against Sinner. The 21-year-old managed just seven aces and six double faults, far from the 25 aces ESPN pundit Brad Gilbert suggested he would need to challenge the "robotic" Sinner.

Shelton briefly led 2-1 in the third set, with Sinner showing signs of discomfort in his hamstrings. However, the Italian held his serve to level the score at 2-2 and broke Shelton's serve for a 3-2 lead. Despite cramping and requiring a trainer to work on his right hamstring, Sinner powered through, breaking Shelton again to go up 5-2. On match point, he sealed the win with a service winner, celebrating with clenched fists.

Sinner's resilience was evident throughout the tournament, particularly after he overcame illness during his fourth-round win over Holger Rune and cruised past Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals.

The winner of Sunday's men's final will take home $2.2 million, with the runner-up earning $1.2 million.