Jannik Sinner has continued his dominance on hard courts by beating Alexander Zverev to win the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic has congratulated Sinner on his win as he commiserated with Zverev, who lost 6-3, 7-6(7-4), 6-3.
Rod Laver Arena once again played host to the Australian Open final, which ATP number one Sinner won after two hours and 42 minutes.
It represents a third Grand Slam success for the 23-year-old Italian, all three of which have come on hard courts.
Sinner clinched seven of his eight ATP titles on the surface in 2024, finishing the season with a 53-3 hard-court win-loss record.
Pat Cash praises Jannik Sinner’s ‘ridiculous’ hard-court record after Australian Open win
Such a record has really impressed former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, who said on BBC Radio 5 Live after the Australian Open final: “Jannik Sinner is almost unbeatable on hard court, isn’t he?
“Didn’t he lose just one match last year on hard court or something like that? His record is ridiculous. He is so quick, he can move around the court with ease, he can hit big powerful shots.
“It wasn’t a great match for spectators but he did what he needed to do. I think Sinner’s level was pulled down by Zverev’s performance tonight.”
The display also left both Mats Wilander and Tim Henman blown away, with the former saying on Eurosport: “Absolutely incredibly consistent, aggressive, calm, the intensity is up still. For me, a flawless performance by Jannik Sinner.”
Henman added: “Absolutely, in so many different areas. I’ve always felt Sinner’s serve has been a work in progress.
“It’s a very good serve but not to face a break point was phenomenal, it gave him such a solid platform to be aggressive from the back of the court.
“And such a worthy champion. He’s gone about his business. When he’s been pushed at different times, he’s always come up with the solutions. Straight sets in the semis and finals is so impressive.”
Can Jannik Sinner chase down Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open record?
Djokovic has once again shown his professionalism and sportsmanship with his latest message, which both Zverev and Sinner will appreciate.
The Serbian certainly isn’t everyone’s favourite player, especially in Melbourne, with Djokovic having been booed off-court by some fans after his semi-final exit.
A recovery from his hamstring tear will now be top of his agenda, but the veteran will more than likely have taken time to enjoy the latest Australian Open final.
While Sinner has now lifted the iconic trophy twice, Djokovic’s 10 titles in Melbourne are under no immediate threat, and likely won’t be for some time.
A return to the Australian Open next year for the 37-year-old cannot be ruled out, although winning the event again may be a step too far, even with the legendary figure’s stunning record at Melbourne Park.
| Player | Winning % | Titles | Win-loss |
| Jannik Sinner | 94.6% | 7 | 53-3 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 78.4% | 2 | 29-8 |
| Novak Djokovic | 76.2% | 0 | 16-5 |
| Alexander Zverev | 75.5% | 1 | 40-13 |
| Grigor Dimitrov | 73.9% | 1 | 34-12 |
Sinner’s two titles mean he is the closest active player to the Serbian, but it will take a very long time for the Italian to even come close to surpassing his fellow hard-court specialist.
He is, however, certainly going about things the right way, and looks simply unstoppable on the surface at this moment in time.
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