For the first time in six years, the top two seeds are facing each other in the Australian Open men’s singles final. The last time this happened was in 2019 with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
This year, Jannik Sinner, the defending champion from the top half of the draw, was expected to reach the final again. But from the bottom half, fans thought either Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic would make it. Djokovic won against Alcaraz, but he got injured during that match and had to drop out in the semifinals while losing the first set, which allowed Alexander Zverev to step into the final.
Despite being a bit of a surprise, Zverev is in great form. He’s won 16 out of his last 17 matches since November’s Paris Masters and has been a strong title contender at tournaments, including his last final appearance at Roland Garros in 2024. Importantly, he was the last player to defeat Sinner before Sinner became unbeatable on hard courts.
Since Sinner lost to Zverev in the fourth round of the 2023 US Open, he has won 20 straight matches in hardcourt tournaments, including last year’s titles at both the Australian Open and the US Open.
Head-to-Head: Sinner vs. Zverev:
Zverev leads their match history 4-2, but Sinner won their last encounter in the Cincinnati Masters semifinal. In major tournaments, Sinner has only claimed one victory against Zverev.
What’s at Stake?
Zverev aims to be the first German man or woman to win a Grand Slam title in this century. The last to win one was Steffi Graf in 1999. For Sinner, winning would make him the 11th man to successfully defend his Australian Open title, following legends like Djokovic and Federer.
How Will They Match Up?
The final will feature intense baseline play, with Zverev’s serves and Sinner’s returns in focus. Sinner has had better serving stats in Melbourne, winning 81% of points on his first serve compared to Zverev’s 78%. Sinner’s strong return game means he needs to attack Zverev’s second serve, which has been weaker in past matches.
Zverev must play more aggressively and take more risks, especially at the net, instead of waiting for opportunities. Meanwhile, Sinner will want to keep rallies shorter to avoid fatigue, as he has faced cramps during the tournament.
Who Will Win?
With Sinner’s winning streak in mind, it’s hard not to favor him.
Leave a Reply