Jannik Sinner and Daniel Evans win pre-Australian Open titles

Jannik Sinner and Daniel Evans claimed the titles at the last pre-Australian Open Melbourne events, entering the season's first Major with trophies in their hands and 250 ATP points.

Jannik Sinner conquered the Great Ocean Road Open title, his second in a row after Sofia at the end of the previous season. Thus, Sinner became the youngest player with two ATP titles since Novak Djokovic in 2006 and the youngest with back-to-back trophies after Rafael Nadal in 2005!

The youngster had to work hard against Karen Khachanov in the semis, saving a match point and staying on the court for three hours and seven minutes. On Sunday, Jannik ousted a compatriot Stefanos Travaglia 7-6, 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes to lift another trophy.

Jannik repelled seven out of ten break points and grabbed four return games to seal the deal in straight sets and save at least some energy for tomorrow's Australian Open encounter against Denis Shapovalov. Travaglia scored a break in game three following Sinner's backhand error before the youngster broke back at 2-3 when Stefano placed a forehand long.

There were no more breaks in the rest of the set, and Sinner claimed a tie break 7-4 after grueling 70 minutes, struggling physically but still fighting hard. They traded three breaks at the beginning of the second set, two of those for Jannik, who dag deep in the fourth game to fend off four break chances and confirm the lead. Stefano pulled the break back in game six and earned a break chance at 4-3. Sinner saved it in one of the final's crucial moments to gather a boost and take four straight return points to open a 5-4 gap and move over the top with a hold in game ten.

The 30-year-old Daniel Evans claimed the first ATP title, beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 17 minutes and earning enough points to crack the top-30 on Monday. Thus, Felix suffered the seventh defeat from as many ATP finals, failing to take a set in any of these matches as he cracks under pressure when it matters the most.

Daniel suffered only one break in the closing stages, taking nearly half of the return points and collecting five breaks from eight opportunities to cross the finish line first. Evans broke in games five and seven in the opener for 6-2, playing well in set number two and moving over the top with a break at 5-3 that secured the first ATP trophy for him.