MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥� It's not often that a man is able to follow up his first title by repeating as the champion at the same tournament a year later, which is what will be trying to do Sunday when he faces in the Australian Open final.
The last time it happened was nearly 20 years ago: Rafael Nadal accomplished that sort of repeat at the 2005 and 2006 French Opens. .
For the No. 1-ranked Sinner, the past year also included the that is still unresolved. He tested positive for a trace amount of an anabolic steroid twice in March, which didn't become public until his exoneration was announced shortly before the start of play at the U.S. Open 鈥� which he won. There is a hearing in the scheduled in April.
鈥淗e finds playing tennis matches to be his safe place. That鈥檚 where he can go and do his thing and feel like this is what he knows, this is what he understands, what is what he鈥檚 good at. It's become a home for him to step on to the court and play tennis,鈥� said one of Sinner's two coaches, Darren Cahill, who will leave the team after this season.
鈥淭here's been a lot of pressure around him for the last nine months now, since April last year. He deals with it as well as anybody that I鈥檝e ever seen deal with pressure," Cahill said. "He鈥檚 an amazing young man that鈥檚 been able to put that to one side. ... He has a clear conscience.鈥�
Over these two weeks in Australia, Sinner also dealt with health issues. He got medical attention when he felt dizzy and had an upset stomach during his , then cramping late in his .
鈥淭here's a lot of things going on, on and off the court. I try to isolate myself a little bit, trying to be myself on the court. Sometimes it鈥檚 a bit easier. There are days where it鈥檚 easier, days where I struggle a little bit more,鈥� said Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy who can become the youngest man to win consecutive championships at the Australian Open since Jim Courier in 1992-93.
鈥淚'm just happy to put myself in this position again,鈥� Sinner said, 鈥渢o play for a big trophy again.鈥�
Standing in his way is No. 2 Zverev, a 27-year-old from Germany who is 0-2 in previous major finals, losing both in five sets 鈥� to after taking the first two sets and holding a match point, and to after leading by two sets to one. Zverev won his semifinal in Paris last June hours after was announced in Berlin that ended a trial stemming from an ex-girlfriend鈥檚 accusation of assault during a 2020 argument.
Zverev got his spot in the Australian Open final 鈥� play is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. EST) on Sunday 鈥� when 24-time major champion because of a torn muscle in his left leg just one set into their semifinal on Friday.
Djokovic, who was booed by some spectators when he left the court, on social media early Sunday with the : 鈥淭hought I鈥檇 leave this here for all the sports injury 鈥榚xperts鈥� out there.鈥�
Sunday's title match will be the first at Rod Laver Arena between the men seeded 1 and 2 since No. 1 Djokovic defeated No. 2 Nadal in 2019.
鈥淛annik has been the best player in the world for the past 12 months,鈥� Zverev said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt about it.鈥�
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Sinner went 73-6 in 2024 with eight titles, the most on the ATP Tour since 2016, and is currently on a 20-match winning streak that began late last season.
He is listed as a -275 money-line favorite against Zverev, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
But don't expect Sinner to proclaim that status or be willing to talk about himself in glowing terms.
鈥淏ack of my head, I also know that I鈥檓 23 years old, and I am not perfect, no? I know that I have things still to improve. I have certain areas where I can get better. That鈥檚 why we work,鈥� Sinner said. 鈥淓very day is a big challenge. Every day you have a different opponent. You try to understand what鈥檚 happening. Sometimes you have some issues and then trying to understand that whatever works best for that day and trying to go for it.鈥�
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP鈥檚 tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: . More AP tennis:
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
