Jannik Sinner kicked off his 2025 season by defending his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne as the tournament’s number one seed. He was the favourite coming into the tournament, as he had won the US Open four months ago, but no one expected him to win so decisively. In 2024, Sinner won the Australian Open final in an epic comeback against Medvedev, coming back from a 2-set deficit. He also had to go through Djokovic, who wasn’t physically at his best after a very successful but long and gruelling 2023 season and still managed to push Sinner to 4 sets. This year Jannik only dropped two sets in the whole tournament and didn’t really look very challenged in any of his matches.
Early rounds
Jannik Sinner faced Nicolás Jarry in the first round and managed to come out on top after a great performance from his opponent. He was pushed in the first two sets to a tiebreak but eventually showed his class by winning the two tiebreaks and winning the third set decisively 6-1. In the second round he faced Australian Tristan Schoolkate, who surprisingly won the first set 6-4 after taking advantage of the only breakpoint he would have all match. Sinner then dominated and won the next three sets. In the third round, Jannik Sinner beat American Marcos Giron in straight sets. Even though Sinner faced seven break points, he seemed in total control throughout the whole match.
The second week
After making the second week of the Australian Open for the fourth time in his career, Jannik Sinner matched up against Holger Rune in the fourth round. This was the only match where Sinner faced some adversity due to the Melbourne heat. Sinner looked physically drained and had to take a medical timeout in the third set after having won the first 6-3 and dropped the second 3-6. Holger Rune also called for a medical timeout towards the end of the third, as both players were affected by the weather conditions. Jannik then stepped up his game by taking the third 6-3 and fourth set 6-2 and winning the match. Questions were raised about Sinner’s fitness going forward into the quarter-final, but Sinner looked as good as new as he demolished eighth seed Alex de Minaur in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. Jannik won an astonishing 80% of the points on his second serve. Sinner then faced Shelton in the semi-final, as they matched up for the second time in a Grand Slam. Shelton got off to a good start, converting an early break, but Sinner broke back while Shelton was serving for the match. Sinner eventually won the set in the tiebreak. Throughout the second and third sets, Shelton looked somewhat defeated as Sinner won both sets 6-2, cruising into his second Australian Open final and third Grand Slam final.
The final
The Italian faced second seed Alexander Zverev, who also played his third Grand Slam final. Sinner took the first set 6-3 and the second set tiebreak, which proved to be the most pivotal moment of the match. Jannik then went on to win the third set 6-3 and was crowned Australian Open champion for the second time. Sinner became the first player since Rafael Nadal in the 2017 US Open final to not face a break point in a Grand Slam final. Sinner has now won 21 consecutive hard court Grand Slam matches and has asserted himself as the world number one.
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