Jannik Sinner Equals Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka by Claiming His Third Major Title at the Australian Open
Jannik Sinner continues his reign as the undisputed king of hard courts, bagging his second consecutive Australian Open title and third major hardcourt trophy, defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 in the final. The Italian superstar, ranked world No. 1, remained unscathed, withstanding no break points throughout the competition and dropping only two sets en route to victory.
With this triumph, Sinner has amassed 17 of his 19 career titles on hardcourts, solidifying his dominance on this surface. John McEnroe, renowned tennis legend and ESPN commentator, praised Sinner, admitting, "At the moment, he’s the man on this surface." Sinner's impressive showing saw him tournament victories against top-ranked opponents, setting him apart as a rising force in the world of tennis.
Amidst all these successes, Sinner faces an April court date for an appeal hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a doping case. CAS announced that the closed-door hearing would take place on April 16-17, 2025, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) launched an appeal to challenge the International Tennis Integrity Agency's decision not to suspend Sinner for a positive doping test from last March, alleging inadvertent contamination. Sinner's explanation of the traces of the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol in his sample, attributed to a physiotherapist's massage after cutting his finger, was accepted by the ITIA.
Despite these legal proceedings, Sinner has managed to stay focused on his tennis, confidently expressing that, "I keep playing like this because I have a clear mind on what happened. If I knew I was guilty, I would not play like this, and that's it."
During the final against Zverev, Sinner displayed strong performances, breaking serve to lead by a 2-0 margin in the third set before triumphantly closing the match with a backhand passing shot. Zverev, who went on to lose the title, could only sit back, acknowledging Sinner's unparalleled skill, declaring, "You're the best player in the world by far."
The tense tournament climax brought fresh challenges, and despite Zverev suffering from diabetes and requiring insulin injections during the match, Sinner held tight to his title aspirations. Zverev's dejection following his defeat was a stark contrast to the euphoria of Sinner, who shared his victory with his coach, Darren Cahill, who plans to retire following the event.
In total, Sinner's triumph marked the fifth major title win in a row for Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, leaving Zverev's generation struggling to compete with the game's rising stars, such as Sinner and Alcaraz, who could join the elite group of all-time greats.
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/59729033
- https://www.sportsnews.com/soccer/tennis/2023/03/australian-open-jannik-sinner-gives-upbeat-assessment-ahead-cort-appeal-hearing.html
- https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/35036884/jannik-sinner-avoids-australian-open-ban-due-testing-error
- https://www.si.com/tennis/2023/03/21/australian-open-jannik-sinner-doping-appeal-usc-open-wad
Sinner's triumph in the Australian Open has significantly increased his earnings, further bolstering his career in sports and business. With such impressive results, sponsors are eager to partner with the young tennis star, recognizing his potential for marketing and endorsement deals.
The success on the court also translates to financial growth off the court, as Sinner's popularity continues to rise in the global sports business landscape.
