Australian Open 2025 FINAL - Defending Heavyweight AO Champion Jannik Sinner [1] vs Challenger Alexander Zverev [2]

Who wins?

  • Total voters
    124
Congrats to sinner. Snooze fest of a final. Terrible. Sinner is the top player in the atp right now. Alcaraz really needs to hire a coach and start being a better player especially with his serve to compete with sinner.
 
That is Zverev's biggest issue he tends to freeze and bottle it in the really crunch matches.

The signs were there even in SF when he only won first set in tiebreak against a 37 year old Novak carrying an injury. Even though he won that set he was playing way too passively and I honestly think if Novak had been fit he would have beaten Sasha.
 
mike danny said:
Question is how many chances will Zverev have at winning a major? I know he is still young as he's only turning 28, but he's not Big 3 level to have another decade of opportunities.
Click to expand...

He's clearly on a level beyond Medvedev, Rublev, TPas.

But I don't know if that's enough to get through the whole Big3 to win a Slam
 
mike danny said:
Yes, but BO3 and BO5 should always be separated.

Nalbandian and Davydenko also had great wins in BO3 until it got to slam level.
Click to expand...
Well this argument doesn't make sense to me. Zverev reached three grand slam finals that's surely an achievement in BO5.

The only players to play three finals without ever winning a slam (so far) are:

Bunny Austin
Harry Hopman
Frank Hunter
Frank Riseley
Eric Sturgess

Casper Ruud
Alexander Zverev

The first five were before the Open Era. If you want to argue for Bunny Austin, feel free, but it was such a different sport back then.

So are you saying Casper is better? Or you want to put someone else ahead (eg Soderling), who has reached fewer finals? Again, you can argue this, but then it's hardly on the basis of achievements in BO5, surely?
 
mightyjeditribble said:
Well this argument doesn't make sense to me. Zverev reached three grand slam finals that's surely an achievement in BO5.

The only players to play three finals without ever winning a slam (so far) are:

Bunny Austin
Harry Hopman
Frank Hunter
Frank Riseley
Eric Sturgess

Casper Ruud
Alexander Zverev

The first five were before the Open Era. If you want to argue for Bunny Austin, feel free, but it was such a different sport back then.

So are you saying Casper is better? Or you want to put someone else ahead (eg Soderling), who has reached fewer finals? Again, you can argue this, but then it's hardly on the basis of achievements in BO5, surely?
Click to expand...
Zverev is definitely the best player who never won a slam. You can “maybe” argue guys like Mecir or Soderling had a higher peak (even that would be restricted to clay), but in terms of achievements he is ahead. More interesting question: is Zverev the second best German player of the Open era?
 
BorgTheGOAT said:
Zverev is definitely the best player who never won a slam. You can “maybe” argue guys like Mecir or Soderling had a higher peak (even that would be restricted to clay), but in terms of achievements he is ahead. More interesting question: is Zverev the second best German player of the Open era?
Click to expand...

I expected more from Zverev in this final you just never know when those opportunities will be there again. Disappointed straight sets. He competed very well in this other two GS finals.
 
Im boycotting all sinner semis and finals now for foreseeable future. At least live. Im also potentially not watching small events unless he is knocked out or not in draw
 
That Zverev can also be a problem:
When he was young, he also behaved very Aragonese (Such a strong narcissist), this facial expression must be a win just for entering the court...

Sometimes I have the impression that his narcissism also ruined him, especially since he achieved very good results as a junior, and maybe he thought that when he was an adult, the slam titles would come by themselves...

This arrogance and pride always pissed me off in him, now he is more arrogant and humble after those defeats in the slam finals...
 
sinner-australian-open-2025-trophy-high-view.jpg


Congratulations to Jannik Sinner, the 2025 AO champion! Dispatches the world #2 in straights and defends his title.

RG just got a tad more interesting.
 
BorgTheGOAT said:
Zverev is definitely the best player who never won a slam. You can “maybe” argue guys like Mecir or Soderling had a higher peak (even that would be restricted to clay), but in terms of achievements he is ahead. More interesting question: is Zverev the second best German player of the Open era?
Click to expand...
Zverev’s best argument is in achievements, because he has done well there, particularly in masters 1000. But he benefits from m1000 finals and WTF finals no longer being Bo5, which is the longer format of the game where Zverev gets exposed because it requires such a wide spectrum of play over a long match duration. He may be somewhat fortunate that events like Rome don’t still have Bo5 finals.

The terminal problem for Zverev is that he either needs to increase his belief in the singular dimension of his game, or add more dimensions. Until he successfully does one of those actions, he is rightfully below other great players who missed out on a major through a quirk of circumstance rather than limitations in their game.
 
Subway Tennis said:
Zverev’s best argument is in achievements, because he has done well there, particularly in masters 1000. But he benefits from m1000 finals and WTF finals no longer being Bo5, which is the longer format of the game where Zverev gets exposed because it requires such a wide spectrum of play over a long match duration. He may be somewhat fortunate that events like Rome don’t still have Bo5 finals.

The terminal problem for Zverev is that he either needs to increase his belief in the singular dimension of his game, or add more dimensions. Until he successfully does one of those actions, he is rightfully below other great players who missed out on a major through a quirk of circumstance rather than limitations in their game.
Click to expand...

Or simply, you have Becker...........then you have Stich. Where does Zed fit in there?
 
Galvermegs said:
Well even before his scandal i found him elite beige.. now i just feel nauseated. I dont even play now but if i did i may swing harder imagining his image on the other side.
Click to expand...
Fair. I have some players I don’t like and I understand that feeling totally. If you get back into playing tennis, when you’re doing service practice you could add some buckets on the service line with pictures of Jannik on them to serve harder. There are probably people doing that at the moment and adding 20kph to their serve :-D
 
Subway Tennis said:
Zverev’s best argument is in achievements, because he has done well there, particularly in masters 1000. But he benefits from m1000 finals and WTF finals no longer being Bo5, which is the longer format of the game where Zverev gets exposed because it requires such a wide spectrum of play over a long match duration. He may be somewhat fortunate that events like Rome don’t still have Bo5 finals.

The terminal problem for Zverev is that he either needs to increase his belief in the singular dimension of his game, or add more dimensions. Until he successfully does one of those actions, he is rightfully below other great players who missed out on a major through a quirk of circumstance rather than limitations in their game.
Click to expand...
The other candidate would be Mecir but even if we restrict it to slams and ignore Bo3 for a moment Zed has one more final and also ahead in semis/quarters. I had Mecir ahead for a long time for his Miami 1987 which was basically a slam but overall Zed has surpassed him at least in achievements.
 
BorgTheGOAT said:
Not yet. But closer than one might think. Ofc Stich’s 91 Wimbledon trumps it all and one can also say Stich’s YEC 93 and GSC 92 trumps Zed’s two YEC but in everything else Zed is ahead. He wins one slam he surpasses Stich.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's fair. But it's a bit like saying "only winning one Slam". It hasn't happened yet. It isn't becoming clearer that it will happen.

I'm honest, I'm not a Zed fan. But talent-wise I expected him to be the one to break through the Big 3 stranglehold. Yet there's a mental block and he doesn't seem to have the answers. Maybe a sports psychologist would help?
 
Aabye5 said:
Yes, that's fair. But it's a bit like saying "only winning one Slam". It hasn't happened yet. It isn't becoming clearer that it will happen.

I'm honest, I'm not a Zed fan. But talent-wise I expected him to be the one to break through the Big 3 stranglehold. Yet there's a mental block and he doesn't seem to have the answers. Maybe a sports psychologist would help?
Click to expand...
He is a mental midget but I think he is on the right way. He behaved very immature in the past and thought way too high of himself. He and his brother also do not seem to be the brightest fellows around tbh. But the two interviews after the SF and F show that he has matured and I do think he is on a good way. He has reached two finals of the last four slams. I don’t think he will become an ATG but he will likely win his elusive slam, maybe at the FO.
 
BorgTheGOAT said:
He is a mental midget but I think he is on the right way. He behaved very immature in the past and thought way too high of himself. He and his brother also do not seem to be the brightest fellows around tbh. But the two interviews after the SF and F show that he has matured and I do think he is on a good way. He has reached two finals of the last four slams. I don’t think he will become an ATG but he will likely win his elusive slam, maybe at the FO.
Click to expand...

Well, he's still number 2 in the world. I feel like he switches too much between cocky and low self-esteem. The big 3 were all arrogant to some extent, but they knew enough to respect each other's games without giving their opponent an advantage.

With Tsitsipas talking about his backhand, and now Zverev talking about Sinner doing everything better, it just sounds like a lot of negativity. Andy Murray could have said the same thing about Novak, but I don't recall him going that far?

Medvedev seems to have the right balance on this. He genuinely acknowledges his opponent's strengths, but always talks about how he's thinking of ways to counter it. Honesty mixed with a hint of brashness.
 
Subway Tennis said:
Fair. I have some players I don’t like and I understand that feeling totally. If you get back into playing tennis, when you’re doing service practice you could add some buckets on the service line with pictures of Jannik on them to serve harder. There are probably people doing that at the moment and adding 20kph to their serve :-D
Click to expand...
I do enjoy his matches with alcaraz. Even against novak pre 2024. But almost nothing else. But musetti and berritini have fun games so at least that.
 
Galvermegs said:
A one word rebuttal is just grade 4 playground level. I know sinner is a wolf in sheeps clothing.. and he is suffocsting the sport with something more malicious than untreated wool
Click to expand...
^ Childish insults--ever the realm for those who cannot stand their accusations dismissed so easily.
 
BorgTheGOAT said:
The other candidate would be Mecir but even if we restrict it to slams and ignore Bo3 for a moment Zed has one more final and also ahead in semis/quarters. I had Mecir ahead for a long time for his Miami 1987 which was basically a slam but overall Zed has surpassed him at least in achievements.
Click to expand...
I would still have Rios ahead. Rios’ level of play, Bo5 M1000 wins and the No. 1 ranking are all benchmarks Rios got that I don’t think Zverev would be capable of.
 
THUNDERVOLLEY said:
^ Childish insults--ever the realm for those who cannot stand their accusations dismissed so easily.
Click to expand...
You dismissed what? He is a cheater but got privileged treatment as did swiatek. Sharapova did less steroid cheating but still cheated oncourt way too much so it still felt like karma.

I just said you were on the level of a kid by not even trying to explain why i said what was wrong. I am not trawling through your old posts. You either ignore my point or make more effort. Otherwise i am totally right to state you didnt make a rebuttal. Its no insult (compared to what i i utter watching contemptible people onscreen).
 
This is how you play in Heaven. Or rather, in the Olympus of the greatest in the history of tennis, having fun hitting out-of-this-world backhands and forehand winners on the lines together with the Gods.
IMMENSE JANNIK SINNER!!! IMMENSE!
Our champion has become so strong, solid, complete, lucid, aggressive, in a word dominant that he makes a tough world number 2 like Alexander Zverev seem two, three or more categories below in overall quality of play. With fantastic tennis, which has truly touched the sky in terms of completeness and quality, Sinner dominates the final of the Australian Open 2025, crushing the resistance and the “dream” of a good Zverev in three sets, 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3 the score at the end of a match managed like a champion in every phase, corner of the court, technical-tactical or score situation.
Simply put, Sinner won because he did everything better than his rival. Everything. There wasn’t a single passage that he managed worse, nothing.
Jannik was impressive in managing his service games and very strong on the return. He perfectly applied fluid, simple, efficient game patterns, such as pushing hard on Zverev's backhand and then making him run to the right, exposing his rival's flaws.
He controlled the final, the playing time, the court. Everything. Spectacular as Sinner broke the balance at 4-3 in the first set: suddenly he changed position on the return, moving back.

A risky but exceptional choice: he opened the corners of the court to his rival, a challenge... A choice made at the moment of maximum pressure that overturned the references to Zverev, who fell into the clever trap of our player, perfect in returning long and deep, regaining a position close to the baseline like lightning and taking the strong point; and the break that gave him the decisive lead.

The second set was very tough, with Zverev having risen in level, less faulty and more effective with his forehand; Sinner remains solid, focused, unable to break (the rival was perfect in the chances given), and here we see the difference between the two players. Under maximum pressure, down 6-5 and 30 all, Sinner wins a sensational point, the most beautiful of the match, and also the most important because Sasha was threatening, in rhythm and confidence.
In the tiebreak Jannik plays better, with more aggression and correct choices, and is also truly kissed by the Gods with that deadly ribbon that brings him a fundamental point. But, as always, one has to go and get luck... And Jannik deserved it all. Practical, solid, he managed the third set like a champion and with the second break he ran away towards the finish line.

A sensational performance for quality combined with practicality, this is the secret that makes Sinner a winner, dominant, at times monstrous: there is not a crack in sight where the opponent can try to hammer to scratch him. None, while he hammers and works on the sides, opening cracks in the certainties of his rival, wounds, technical and therefore mental fractures on which he continues to impact until the break that brings him games, breaks, victories.

Sinner in the second final in Melbourne controlled his service games completely: No Break Points Allowed! ZERO! 60% of first balls in play, a good number… but the yield is exceptional: 84% of points won on the first, a crazy 63% on the second. Jannik conceded only 9 points on the first ball, nothing… and 14 on the second. And then, the admirable management of the first ball from the right. This is the other secret that led him to his second triumph at the Australian Open 2025 in the final: in every “set-up” situation, to use Brad Gilbert’s words, that is, 30 all, all advantage, Sinner served perfectly, choosing today a fast, angled trajectory with a ball lifted onto Zverev’s forehand, who, due to his too wide opening and the impossibility of blocking the shot well on return, was never able to respond with quality and therefore put himself in a position to create space for a break chance. That zero in the break point box weighs like a millstone on Sasha’s head, who was thinking with his head down after the defeat on his bench. It is a really heavy defeat for the German, because he had never arrived so well in his career at a Slam final, and there was never the feeling that he could do it. He didn't even serve that badly, 68% of first serves, but Jannik's return was much more effective, especially in the crucial moments... And here we come back to his main limit, the management of pressure. Yet in the AO25 final Sasha never managed the pressure so well, he didn't give away much, on the contrary... he made overall correct choices, except for a few passes, but Jannik was simply better. In everything. It was clear that Sinner had to push hard on the backhand and then make it run to the right, in order to expose the difficulty of managing the forehand on the run on a low ball. Jannik executed admirably.
Yet Zverev ran first, went there first, even tried to accelerate his swing because he knew he would be hammered there… It wasn’t enough, because Sinner’s execution was admirable, mechanically obsessive and precise.
In the end Zverev committed 45 errors, 24 of which with his forehand. Sinner won there, along with how he managed the spaces on the court. In fact, in several phases Jannik was good at calling his rival forward, but Sasha won only 14 points out of 27 at the net. It was feared that in long rallies Jannik could suffer, get tired and pay the price.
For this reason Sinner tried to shorten the playing times and he did it well, so as not to slip into his rival’s favorite swamp, the physical fight. He succeeded for a good part of the match, and this helped him win, …but if you look at the balance of points that went beyond 9 shots, Sinner won 27 against Zverev’s 13! Serve, return, forehand (no match really between the two in this shot), backhand for stability, even in long and physical rallies… Sinner DOMINATED everything, he took everything. He deservedly took his third Slam title, which makes him the most successful Italian in the Majors and increasingly no. 1 in the world.
There would also be other phases to tell, such as the choice in the second set to try the drop shot to break the rhythm (improved) by Zverev, and which in the tiebreak and then in the third set earned a couple of decisive points; or the incredible speed with which Sinner from the center of the court pounced on the first shorter balls of his rival, going on to take very important points. I'll stop here.

Sinner's victory over Zverev in the final of the AO25 is very clear, limpid, without blemish. Jannik Sinner is the strongest tennis player in the world, almost unplayable on cement. He triumphed completely at this Australian Open. Number One with three Slams won.
Thank you Jannik for the wonderful emotions you give us. Our dreams have become beautiful realities, and telling your exploits is a privilege.
 
Zverev didn’t choke. He was simply outgunned. Zverev said in the interview that Sinner is by far the best player on the planet and that he does everything better than he does, including BH, FH, movement, and return of serve.

Sinner won 67% of the rallies that went 9+ shots. He won more of the long BH rallies than Zverev and a lot more of the FH rallies. Zverev was getting 81% of his first serves in late in the first set. And yet, Sinner already had 6 BP opportunitieswhile converting one. Sinner did not face a single BP all match.

This was a clinic put on by Sinner. And let’s not just blame Zverev.

Here are Sinner’s stats for his last 10 matches vs the top-10:

10-0 record
23-0 record in sets played.
1.63 Dominance Ratio
Held serve 97.1% of the time

Sinner isn’t just beating the best players. He’s destroying them badly. Sinner is making a mockery of the ATP right now.
 
Subway Tennis said:
I would still have Rios ahead. Rios’ level of play, Bo5 M1000 wins and the No. 1 ranking are all benchmarks Rios got that I don’t think Zverev would be capable of.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure about the stats part of this one. In mid-August 2022 Zverev was about 100 points off being number 1 in the world, having not played for three months after his RG injury.

On the Bo5 Masters thing, if we throw out any Zverev masters run that included a win over a Big4 member or Sinner/Alcaraz (in case that was the concern about Bo5), we're left with the following:
  • 2018 Madrid: Donskoy/Mayer/Isner/Shapovalov/Thiem
  • 2021 WSO: Harris/Pella/Ruud/Tsitsipas/Rublev
  • 2024 Rome: Vukic/Darderi/Borges/Fritz/Tabilo/Jarry
  • 2024 Paris: Griekspoor/Fils/Tsitsipas/Rune/Humbert
Rios' level of play could have been better (and perhaps the fields I just listed above give some evidence to that argument!), but "capable" of those achievements I think we can give to Sascha.
 
THUNDERVOLLEY said:
You--and all others beating this dead horse--have not offered conclusive evidence that Sinner is a conscious "cheater", thus your rant is dismissed.
Click to expand...
Its not a dead horse otherwise there wouldnt be a wada hearing. And 'all others' are many. Even the bbc is saying he is tarnished now for the forseeable future. But establishment puppets get off lightly.
Calling it a rant is liking it to kygrios.. he had a personal and emotional connection as well.

Ill ask you a new question or two. Are all of these italians favoring this clostebol substance any better or worse than the russians using a long disapproved treatment? Are italians let off.easier than russians. Shazza isnt saying any profound praise i can find now about her good friend compared to this time.last year

You put it in burden of proof lawyer terms. That is how he got off. But my gut is he a shifty fake type with pr flowing out of his fingertips..glad you enjoy this as the figurehead for mens tennis.
 
Pheasant said:
Zverev didn’t choke. He was simply outgunned. Zverev said in the interview that Sinner is by far the best player on the planet and that he does everything better than he does, including BH, FH, movement, and return of serve.

Sinner won 67% of the rallies that went 9+ shots. He won more of the long BH rallies than Zverev and a lot more of the FH rallies. Zverev was getting 81% of his first serves in late in the first set. And yet, Sinner already had 6 BP opportunitieswhile converting one. Sinner did not face a single BP all match.

This was a clinic put on by Sinner. And let’s not just blame Zverev.

Here are Sinner’s stats for his last 10 matches vs the top-10:

10-0 record
23-0 record in sets played.
1.63 Dominance Ratio
Held serve 97.1% of the time

Sinner isn’t just beating the best players. He’s destroying them badly. Sinner is making a mockery of the ATP right now.
Click to expand...
Lets see him off hard court. Still a lot to prove. Alcaraz can beat him in official.events. zverev talks a lot of nonsense too.. going back to when he fancied simon beating ferrer at the ao when the frenchman was down 2 sets. Big hitters may have a surprise comeback.. not pusher supreme gilles.
 
Kochua said:
I'm not sure about the stats part of this one. In mid-August 2022 Zverev was about 100 points off being number 1 in the world, having not played for three months after his RG injury.

On the Bo5 Masters thing, if we throw out any Zverev masters run that included a win over a Big4 member or Sinner/Alcaraz (in case that was the concern about Bo5), we're left with the following:
  • 2018 Madrid: Donskoy/Mayer/Isner/Shapovalov/Thiem
  • 2021 WSO: Harris/Pella/Ruud/Tsitsipas/Rublev
  • 2024 Rome: Vukic/Darderi/Borges/Fritz/Tabilo/Jarry
  • 2024 Paris: Griekspoor/Fils/Tsitsipas/Rune/Humbert
Rios' level of play could have been better (and perhaps the fields I just listed above give some evidence to that argument!), but "capable" of those achievements I think we can give to Sascha.
Click to expand...
Close is not good enough in a sport like tennis, unfortunately. It’s cruel but it’s the way it is.

All those Non Big 4 / Non Sincaraz m1000 runs that you posted feature guys who have beaten Zverev in the Bo5 format so it’s not really just a Big 3 / Sincaraz thing, but it is still worth noting for the fact that four of Zed’s m1000 victories were achieved without having to beat Sincaraz or any of the Big 3.
 
dking68 said:
Or maybe his opponent was just way better. I don’t see any disappointment
Click to expand...
One of the scary things for Zverev is that he was serving like a monster in the first set, but Sinner still had sonething like 5-6 breakpoints by the 7th game.

That must have shaken Zverev…. The feeling of wondering how much he had to do just to escape service games while sinner was returning so well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Enceladus
  • Poll Poll
2025 Roland Garros QF: (1) Jannik Sinner vs Alexander Bublik
9 10 11
Replies
540
Views
8K
Sudacafan
Sudacafan
Rafa4LifeEver
  • Poll Poll
2023 US Open R16 - Jannik Sinner [6] (ITA) v/s Alexander 'Sascha' Zverev [12] (GER)
24 25 26
Replies
1K
Views
31K
D.Nalby12
D
Enceladus
  • Poll Poll
AO 2024 QF - (2.) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (6.) Alexander Zverev
28 29 30
Replies
1K
Views
38K
TheSlicer
T
Enceladus
  • Poll Poll
AO 2024 QF - (3.) Jannik Sinner vs (5.) Andrey Rublev
8 9 10
Replies
454
Views
14K
RSJfan
RSJfan
Enceladus
  • Poll Poll
2019 French Open QF - [1.] Novak Djokovic (Ultron) vs. [5.] Sascha Zverev (Zod)
24 25 26
Replies
1K
Views
66K
NoleFam
NoleFam
Back
Top