Jannik Sinner is increasingly turning adversity on the Paris clay into triumph at Wimbledon.
The world No. 1 defeated Alexander Zverev 6‑7(7), 7‑6(2), 6‑3, 6‑4 on Sunday to claim his second straight Wimbledon crown, after Zverev appeared hampered by a knee problem that followed a slip on the grass during a crucial point in the third set.
This fifth Grand Slam title arrived just after Sinner’s first tournament since a disappointing second‑round exit at the French Open, where he struggled in a Paris heat wave.
When Sinner unleashed a forehand winner down the line on his first match point, he dropped to the grass on his back in celebration.
A year earlier, Sinner had outlasted Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final after squandering three match points against his rival in the Roland Garros showdown.
The victory marked Sinner’s tenth consecutive win over Zverev, who was arriving fresh from his maiden Grand Slam triumph at the French Open.
Linda Noskova captured her first major by defeating Karolina Muchova in an all‑Czech women’s final on Saturday.
Prince William attended the match with his wife Kate and two of their children, sharing the royal box with celebrities such as Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Ben Stiller.
The two top seeds looked evenly matched until Zverev earned his first break point at 3‑3 in the third set, roughly two hours and forty‑two minutes into the contest. Sinner responded with a deft drop shot; Zverev slipped while attempting to change direction behind the baseline and appeared to hyperextend his right knee.
Zverev clutched his knee in obvious discomfort, and Sinner rushed to the net to help him to his feet. Although Zverev quickly resumed play, he seemed hampered and, frustrated after missing a forehand, flung his racket toward the baseline, gifting Sinner the break and a 5‑3 lead in the set. Sinner held serve to close the game.
Zverev had lost fourteen straight sets to Sinner, and when he finally took the opening set with a forehand winner down the line to seal a tight tiebreaker, he shouted toward his box while bending over in celebration.
Zverev repeatedly unleashed serves topping 139 mph (224 kph), while Sinner mixed in a series of well‑placed aces at a slightly lower velocity.
However, Sinner began to anticipate Zverev’s serve more effectively in the second‑set tiebreaker, forcing the German to miss several forehands.
During the oppressive heat and humidity of late May in Paris, Sinner’s 30‑match winning streak came to an end after he fell just one game short of a straight‑set victory over Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, then ranked No. 56.
The final unfolded under cooler skies in southwest London, with clear conditions and a temperature of 82 °F (28 °C), though a breeze caused several mishit shots from both players.
After his Paris loss, Sinner underwent medical examinations in Milan and did not compete officially again until his arrival at Wimbledon, where he twice rallied from a set down in five‑set marathons against Miomir Kecmanović in the opening round.
From that point onward, Sinner dropped no further sets en route to the final, having dominated Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
Despite his defeat, Zverev will move ahead of Carlos Alcaraz to occupy the No. 2 position in the ATP rankings on Monday.
Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year while nursing a right‑wrist injury.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)