Jannik Sinner claims second consecutive Australian Open title with dominant win over Zverev

Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Australian Open crown, defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets to clinch his second consecutive title in Melbourne on Sunday.

The Italian triumphed 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3, extending his remarkable winning streak and solidifying his status as the runaway World No. 1.

The 23-year-old became the youngest man to win multiple Australian Open titles since Jim Courier achieved the feat in 1992-93.

Sinner's victory also marked his third Grand Slam title, having previously won the 2024 US Open and the 2024 Australian Open.

Sinner has now won 36 of his past 37 matches, a streak dating back to the Cincinnati Open last year. The defending champion extended his unbeaten run at hard-court majors to 21 matches, becoming the first Italian to win three Grand Slam titles.

In an extraordinary display of dominance, Sinner also became the first man since Rafael Nadal in 2006 to defend his maiden Grand Slam title.

Moreover, he is the first player since 1973 to record 10 consecutive straight-sets wins against top-10 opponents.

Joining an elite group, Sinner became only the eighth man in the Open Era to win his first three Grand Slam finals, alongside legends such as Björn Borg, Roger Federer, and Carlos Alcaraz.

His immaculate serving in the final saw him join Nadal and Federer as players who avoided conceding a single break point in an Australian Open final.

For Alexander Zverev, the defeat marked his third loss in a Grand Slam final. The German, ranked World No. 2, had previously fallen short in the 2020 US Open final against Dominic Thiem and the 2024 Roland Garros final against Carlos Alcaraz.

Despite a solid tournament run, Zverev was unable to handle Sinner's relentless precision and consistency. The German advanced through the early rounds without dropping a set and overcame challenges from Ugo Humbert and Tommy Paul in the later stages.

His semifinal clash against Novak Djokovic saw him advance after the Serbian retired due to injury.

Sinner's journey to the title was a testament to his skill and mental toughness. After breezing through the first three rounds, the Italian defeated Holger Rune in a closely contested match before dismantling Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, he overcame rising star Ben Shelton with a commanding 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory, extending his winning streak in Melbourne to 20 matches.