LONDON — Jannik Sinner is beginning to turn a pattern of resilience in Paris into triumphs at Wimbledon.
The world number one, Sinner, clinched victory against Alexander Zverev with a score of 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday, securing his second consecutive title at the All England Club after Zverev appeared troubled by a knee injury following a slip during a crucial point in the third set.
Sinner celebrated his fifth Grand Slam title after bouncing back from a second-round setback at the French Open, where he struggled in the sweltering heat of Paris.
As he unleashed a forehand winner to seal the match, the Italian collapsed onto the grass in pure joy.
Last year, Sinner triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final after narrowly missing three match points against him in the final at Roland Garros.
This win marked Sinner’s 10th consecutive victory over Zverev, who was fresh off securing his first Grand Slam title in France.
In a thrilling all-Czech women’s final on Saturday, Linda Noskova defeated Karolina Muchova to claim her first Grand Slam title.
Prince William attended the final with his wife Kate and two of their children, joining a glamorous Royal Box that also featured stars like Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman, and Ben Stiller.
The top seeds appeared to be in a tight contest until Zverev finally earned his first break point at 3-3 in the third set after 2 hours and 42 minutes. A drop shot from Sinner caused Zverev to slip, seemingly hyper-extending his right knee as he shifted direction behind the baseline.
Though in visible discomfort, Zverev accepted Sinner’s assistance to get back on his feet. Upon resuming, he was hindered, showing frustration as he misfired a forehand, granting Sinner the first break of the match and a 5-3 lead in the third set, which he then closed out.
Zverev had endured 14 consecutive set losses to Sinner, but his opening set victory in the final, punctuated by a forehand winner at the end of a tense tiebreak, brought a triumphant roar directed at his box as he celebrated.
Zverev fired serves reaching up to 139 mph (224 kph), while Sinner consistently executed well-placed aces at slightly reduced speeds.
However, Sinner quickly adapted to Zverev’s serves during the second-set tiebreaker, while Zverev began to struggle with his forehands.
In late May, under the oppressive Parisian heat, Sinner’s impressive 30-match winning streak was snapped just one game shy of a straight-set victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who was ranked No. 56.
Conditions were markedly cooler in southwest London during the final, with clear skies and temperatures hovering around 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius); however, a breeze contributed to several mishits from both competitors.
After the setback in Paris, Sinner underwent medical evaluations in Milan and refrained from official matches until Wimbledon, where he had to rally from a set down in a gripping five-set opener against Miomir Kecmanovic.
Following that, Sinner didn’t drop a single set leading up to the final, having decisively defeated Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
Although Zverev fell short in the final, he is set to move into the No. 2 ranking on Monday, surpassing Alcaraz.
Alcaraz has missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to a right wrist injury.
