PREVIEW Australian Open Men’s Final: Alexander Zverev faces Jannik Sinner in first time winner or back-to-back showdown

"Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up."

What does this Rocky Balboa quote have to do with the Australian Open final? Quite a lot, actually. After more than a decade in the professional game and coming agonizingly close on several occasions, now might be the perfect time for Alexander Zverev to transition from contender to champion.

As the sun sets on a phenomenal Australian Open, the top two seeds are set to collide with the title on the line. Jannik Sinner, who has been in scintillating form throughout the tournament, will be looking to defend his crownand become a two-time champion Down Under. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev, who has also shown impressive form, will be hoping to capture his first Grand Slam title.

Both players are coming off solid semi-final performances, setting the stage for an electrifying final on Sunday. The only question is: Who will leave Melbourne as champion?

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Sinner's road to the final

Sinner's Australian Open campaign has been a testament to resilience and class. There must have been a lot of pressure on the young Italian’s shoulders, as this was his first Grand Slam as the defending champion. Not only that, but as the world number one, he had a target on his back—yet he has handled the expectations brilliantly.

Sinner began his title defence with a straight-sets win over Nicolás Jarry, where he was never broken and fired seven aces past the Chilean player. In the second round, Sinner overcame early adversity, dropping the first set to Tristan Schoolkate, but recovered comfortably to win in four sets. After another routine victory over Marcos Giron, he faced his biggest test against Holger Rune.

The match against Rune highlighted Sinner's resilience, as he battled through physical struggles such as hand tremors and dizziness to overcome the 13th seed in four sets. In the quarter-finals, Sinner returned to peak form, demolishing home favourite Alex de Minaur in straight sets.

His semi-final clash saw him take on Ben Shelton, another rising star. Sinner delivered a ruthless performance, securing a 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-2 win over the 22-year-old American.

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The first set was closely contested, with Shelton having two set points on serve, but failing to convert. After taking the tie-break, Sinner took complete control, committing just six unforced errors in the second set and winning 93% of his first-serve points. The victory extends Sinner's winning streak to 20 matches, setting him up perfectly for Sunday’s final.

After his victory, Sinner reflected on his performance in a post-match interview:

"It was a very tough first set but crucial," Sinner said. "I felt he was not serving at his best today. The percentage was not where he would have wanted it. I think we both returned better than we served. First sets are always essential. It gave you a lot of confidence, and there was a lot of tension for both of us. I am very happy with how I handled the situation today."

"I had a lot of tension today, some cramps," he added. "He was also suffering a little today with his legs, so I tried to move him around and stay more aggressive, which helped a lot. These matches can go very long. Three sets, two hours and 30 minutes is quite a time, so I am happy to finish in three. I am happy to be back at the final, and we will see what happens on Sunday."

Zverev's quest for a first Grand Slam title

Alexander Zverev

When discussing the best players on tour, names like Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev often come to mind. However, Zverev has firmly established himself as a top contender, earning his number two ranking with consistent high-level performances.

The German’s run in Melbourne has been remarkable, beginning with comfortable wins over Lucas Pouille, Pedro Martínez, and Jacob Fearnley. His first real challenge came in the fourth round, where he dropped a set against Ugo Humbert but ultimately prevailed.

His quarter-final clash against Tommy Paul was his toughest match of the tournament, as he fought to secure a 7-6(1), 7-6(0), 2-6, 6-1 win against the American. Many fans were eagerly anticipating his semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic, but after a grinding 81-minute first set, the Serbian was forced to withdraw due to a muscle tear.

Despite Djokovic’s retirement, Zverev has played some of his best tennis and will be hungry for his first Grand Slam title.

In his on-court interview, Zverev expressed his eagerness for the final and why he didn't overlook Djokovic

"It would be nice to win one more set than the first two I've played. Grand Slam finals are always difficult. The two best players in the world are playing on that court. I lost twice in a fifth set, once in a fifth-set tie-break at the US Open. So, I've had my tough losses. Maybe it's time for me to have some luck in a Grand Slam final, too."

He talked about the set against the former world number one.

"I actually thought it was quite a high-level first set," Zverev said when asked by Jim Courier if he noticed his opponent's struggles. "But of course there is some difficulties and the longer you continue playing, then maybe the worse it gets. In the tie-break, he was maybe not moving as well as in the entire first set. But I thought we had extremely long rallies, extremely difficult, physical rallies. In the tie-break I did see him struggle maybe a bit more."

Then talked about why he didn't expect an easy match against a less than 100% Djokovic. 

"Not against Novak, to be honest," he said."I played him here in 2021 when he had an abdominal tear. and he served 28 aces against me. I have to play 100 per cent.

"I played probably one of my best sets of the tournament now with the first set, and I won 7/5 in the tie-break while he was injured. I don't know, maybe I'm not that good, maybe Novak is too good for the sport. I don't know what to say,"

Zverev is well aware of the pressure that comes with playing in a Grand Slam final, especially given that this will be his third attempt at winning one.

"I was very frustrated after the US Open. I was very disappointed with my performance and how I played there. My goal was still to compete in this tournament, so I needed to improve physically. I played in tournaments at the end of the year to improve and become a better player. I still do a lot of physical training through the tournaments."

Head-to-head and final preview

This final promises to be an intriguing battle, as Sinner and Zverev are familiar opponents. Zverev currently leads their head-to-head 4-2, including wins in the 2023 US Open round of 16 and the 2024 Cincinnati Masters semi-final.

Their previous encounters have been intense and closely contested, making Sunday’s showdown even more compelling. Sinner is in the form of his life, while Zverev is determined to claim his first Grand Slam.

With both players displaying exceptional skill and determination, this final is tough to predict. One thing is certain—tennis fans are in for a thrilling finale at the Australian Open.

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