MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) (ITALPRESS) – For the second year in a row, Jannik Sinner will play in the Australian Open final. The 23-year-old South Tyrolean, world number one and defending champion, beat Ben Shelton – who had earlier eliminated Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego – in the semifinals 7-6(2) 6-2 6-2 after two hours and 36 minutes of play. Now in his third career Slam final after his success a year ago on Australian cement and victory at the last Us Open, Sinner will face Alexander Zverev on Sunday, who in the other semifinal won the first set on tie-break (7-5) before Novak Djokovic was forced to retire with a muscle problem in his left thigh. The 27-year-old German is ahead 4-2 in the previous with Sinner, however, who won the last challenge, the Cincinnati semifinal last season. Zverev – also on his third final in a Major after those lost at the 2020 Us Open to Thiem and at Roland Garros 2024 to Alcaraz – at Slam level, on the other hand, is ahead 2-1: both wins came on New York concrete (2021 and 2023) while Sinner won in Paris in 2020. “The first set was very tough and crucial, I don’t even know how I managed to turn things around,” confessed the South Tyrolean tennis player, “But it gave me confidence: both of us were a little bit tense and I am satisfied with how I handled the emotions. I am happy to be in the final again. The physiotherapist’s intervention? There was tension, I had some small cramps but I think he was also in pain,” he continued, “I tried to move him as much as possible and be aggressive, these matches can get longer and I am happy to have closed it in three sets. Three years ago, right after Melbourne, Sinner decided to rely on Vagnozzi and then Cahill. “It was complicated to decide to change, but I had made big decisions even when I was 13,” he recalls, “This team made me a different player. We are a family off the court and we work great on the court. This is Darren’s last season and I am happy that we have another chance to fight for the title. The season is still long and we will try to start it off great.” The final hurdle is Alexander Zverev. “It’s going to be a very difficult match, with him all matches have been balanced, anything can happen,” Sinner added, “He’s an incredible player, he’s in the hunt for his first Slam and there will be great tension but it’s great to be in this position. Sunday will be a special day and I will enjoy it, hopefully it will be a good match.”
– photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
Shelton beaten, Sinner in Australian Open final
