“He has made significant progress in that regard”: Justine Henin dismisses doubts over Sinner's physical endurance

Former Australian Open champion Justine Henin shared her predictions for Sunday’s final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, recalling Sinner's remarkable comeback from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev to claim his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne a year ago.

Shortly before, Nicolas Mahut had questioned Sinner's physical endurance, particularly in long matches, giving 'Sascha' better chances to secure the title. However, Henin downplayed these concerns and praised Sinner's mental toughness in overcoming setbacks, even after physical struggles.

"In terms of confrontations, Zverev leads 4-2 against Sinner. The last two times they've played in Grand Slams, he's managed to dominate him," the Frenchman said. "I also think that the more the match goes on, the more it will be to Zverev's advantage."

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"Let's remember that Sinner has never won a match lasting more than four hours and that his ratio in five-set matches is quite poor: six wins, nine losses. For Zverev, it's 23 wins and 13 losses. The longer this match goes on, the more I think Zverev will have the upper hand."

Former world No. 1 Henin, a respected voice in Grand Slam tournaments and finals, secured seven major titles and reached five additional finals between 2001 and 2010, three of them at Melbourne Park.

"Sinner has been through a lot—he was sick, he had cramps in the semi-finals. There’s a question about his endurance in long matches, even though he has made significant progress in that regard," Henin commented on Eurosport. "We must not forget that in his first Grand Slam final here in Melbourne, he came back from two sets down against Medvedev, who also physically collapsed."

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"But Sinner still went for the victory. It wasn’t easy. There are arguments to suggest that Zverev has strong chances to claim his first Grand Slam, but there’s a difference between being in a position to win and actually doing it. Sinner remains my favourite."

Both players will compete in their third Grand Slam final but with contrasting fortunes. Sinner is aiming for his third consecutive major title on hard courts, while Zverev is chasing his first major victory after falling short in the finals of the 2020 US Open and 2024 French Open.

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