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‘I can do better’: Sinner aims higher after men’s final masterclass

  • Gill Tan

Jannik Sinner arrived at Australian Open 2025 with one goal. On Sunday night, the defending champion achieved it, and was reunited with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

ANALYSIS: How the AO 2025 men’s singles final was won

“Amazing run again here in Australia,” said the world No. 1 after his resounding 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev. The victory, he said, felt a little different to his breakthrough triumph at Melbourne Park last year. 

 

“You know that you can do it because you've done it once,” he mused. “What I understood this time is every day is different, you have days where you might feel a bit not 100 per cent, and then the next match all of a sudden, ‘Okay, I'm into the tournament’,” he explained.

“How I handled every situation on the court, not only today in the final, but in general was very nice,” he said, likely referencing his ability to produce when needed during a tough fourth-round battle against 13th seed Holger Rune.

“I’m very happy to have it,” he said, eyeing the trophy, a replica of which he said will reside with his parents. “It means so much to me,” he added in a television interview.

MORE: Sinner v Zverev men’s singles final match stats

On Sunday night, the Italian played an impeccable match, striking 32 winners and clinching 84 per cent of first serve points. Although he converted just two break points against Zverev, he manufactured a total of 10 break point opportunities, and became the first player not to face break point in a men’s major final since Rafael Nadal at US Open 2017.

Recognising Sinner’s supremacy, Zverev compared the top seed to a “prime” Novak Djokovic, which was relayed to Sinner.

“It's an amazing compliment,” said the Italian, who acknowledged his game has some similarities to the Serbian 24-time Grand Slam champion: clean ball striking from the baseline, good movement, and solid anticipation of where an opponent may place a ball.

“I looked up to him, trying to understand what he's doing, how he handles the pressure moments, and important moments,” he acknowledged, before clarifying that the duo are different players.

The world No. 1, who became the first men’s singles player to successfully defend his maiden major since Nadal at Roland Garros 2006, was quick to admit he can refine his game on both clay and grass courts.

“It's for sure one thing I always think about,” he said. “You have to be a complete player, not only [on] one surface, but on also the other two.”

“Of course on hard court I feel more comfortable, no?” said the right-hander, who has won 17 of 19 career titles on hard courts and is just the fifth player in the Open Era to win three consecutive hard court Grand Slam men’s singles titles behind Djokovic, Roger Federer, Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe.

“I take it as positive because on the other surfaces I still have to improve.

“I'm going to put a lot of energy in that, trying to find the right ways, and hopefully to go far also in the other Grand Slams who are not played on hard court,” said Sinner, currently on a 21-match winning streak, the longest of his career to date.

“I'm still young and I think I have time to adjust, especially on grass court, because I never played the juniors,” said Sinner, who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon 2023 and Roland Garros 2024.

“I can do better.”

Sinner was elated to be reacquainted with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup

Sinner, the first Italian player to win three Grand Slam singles titles, said in a television interview that he hopes the sport of tennis can continue to proliferate.

“Tennis in Italy is growing, it’s not only growing because of me,” he said, identifying the success of players who paved the way before him including Fabio Fognini and Matteo Berrettini.

The fact that it’s the last AO that Darren Cahill will coach Sinner at before his planned retirement provided the top seed with extra motivation to defend his title at Melbourne Park. “I got very lucky to find Darren,” said the three-time Grand Slam champion, crediting both Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi for helping him reach the pinnacle of the sport.

Vagnozzi described his charge’s performance on Sunday night as his best match of the tournament.

“It was really superlative,” said Vagnozzi, acknowledging the 23-year-old is a different player than the one who captured his maiden Grand Slam at AO 2024. “He [has] more confidence on his serve, he [has] more confidence [about] how he's playing tactically.”

Vagnozzi credited Sinner’s mental strength and aptitude at processing and applying advice. He also backed the world No. 1’s ability to capture a major on a non-hard court surface this year.

“We have [a] chance to be ready to try to win Paris and also Wimbledon,” he said.