Jannik Sinner v Alexander Zverev
7.45pm
Back Sinner to Cover the Games Handicap (-4.5) @ $1.95
For the first time in six years, the top two seeds will contest the Australian Open men’s final after relatively trouble-free paths to this showdown for defending champion Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, who his chasing his first grand slam title.
Zverev will take confidence from the head-to-head ledger against Sinner, which he leads 4-2 – including victories at the 2021 and 2023 US Opens.
Sinner won their only clash since the latter grand slam meeting, a 7-6 5-7 7-6 thriller at last year’s Cincinnati Masters.
World No.2 Zverev won his first three matches here against Lucas Pouille, Pedro Martinez and Jacob Fearnley in straight sets.
He subsequently beat 14th seed Ugo Humbert and 12th seed Tommy Paul in four-setters, before winning a first-set semi-final tiebreak against Novak Djokovic, who then retired.
Top-ranked Sinner had a smooth early run with wins over Nicolas Jarry, Tristan Schoolkate and Marcos Giron.
He looked briefly on the ropes in the fourth round against Holger Rune before prevailing 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2.
Sinner then doused illness speculation by obliterating Alex de Minaur 6-3 6-2 6-1 before overcoming Ben Shelton’s early resistance in the semi-finals to prevail 7-6 6-2 6-2.
Sinner claimed his maiden slam with a gripping victory over Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final – the fifth AO men’s decider in eight years to require five sets.
He beat Taylor Fritz in straight sets in his only other major final appearance, at the US Open five months ago.
Zverev has been the modern-day heartbreak kid of men’s slams, losing the 2020 US Open final to Dominic Thiem and last year’s French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz in agonising five-setters.
The German, a $3.20 underdog in the final, has to take the fight to Sinner – he was somewhat tentative in his set against an injured Djokovic, the plus is he should be fresh after an abbreviated semi.
There are just so few chinks in Sinner’s armour – he has cruised to comfortable victories even when looking below his best – and has every reason to be confident of wearing Zverev down, neutralising his serve and chalking up a third grand slam crown in the space of 12 months.