Jannik Sinner retained his Australian Open title after demolishing Alexander Zverev in straight sets at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
The world No 1 was never required to hit top gear against the German second seed who never looked like making it third time lucky in Grand Slam finals.
For ice-cool Sinner, it was a clinical performance to secure major No 3, having won his first Slam in Melbourne last year before following that up with victory at the US Open.
Apart from being taken to a tiebreak in the second set, the Italian always looked in control before eventually completing a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 win on Rod Laver Arena.
It means Sinner has joined an illustrious list of players who have successfully defended their Melbourne title this century alongside Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
It is also the 23-year-old's 19th career title, stretching his win-streak to an impressive 21 matches.
Sinner admitted this win felt “very different” to last year's victory. “Coming here as defending the title is always different,” he said.
“There is the extra pressure but I enjoy it. In finals the pressure is different. It is a tough day for Sascha [Zverev]. He was a bit down and I tried to keep him up, but it's tough.
“I'm very happy, my team, we know how much we worked for this one. I felt like I started the match really well, the second set could have gone both ways. Then in the third set I tried to search for the break. I served very well today and I'm happy.
“I do struggle sometimes inside. In tennis you have days you feel worse but every day can be different.
“In my mind I know I am well prepared for tough battles and I have shown this in these two weeks.”
The fact Sinner has maintained this red-hot form is all the more remarkable considering that the shadow of a potential doping ban remains hanging over his head.
Last year, he tested positive in two separate drug tests but the decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency to absolve Sinner of any blame has been challenged by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Wada have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and are looking to have Sinner banned for between one to two years. The arguments will be heard at a closed hearing on April 16-17 at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
But for now, Sinner can put that to the back of his mind and savour his latest hard-court triumph.
It was a final somewhat lacking in quality and excitement, Sinner took the first set in 46 minutes after breaking Zverev in the eighth game.
A huge slice of luck in the crucial second set all but ended the German's resistance in the match and his hopes of winning a first Grand Slam title.
With the score at 4-4 in the tiebreak, a Sinner shot clipped the net cord before dropping over into Zverev's side sealing the vital point.
Sinner held his hands up in apology but showed his ruthless streak to secure the next to points and the set, leaving Zverev smashing his racquet on the ground in frustration at the changeover.
The 27-year-old never regained his composure with Sinner breaking for 4-2 before going on to complete victory in two hours and 42 minutes.
“First of all, I mean it sucks standing here next to this trophy and not being able to touch it,” said Zverev – who was also beaten in the 2020 US Open and 2024 French Open finals – on court.
“Congratulations to Jannik, you more than deserve it. You are the best player in the world by far. I was hoping that I could be more of a competitor today but you are just too good, it's as simple as that.
“I want to thank my team. We are trying to do all of the right work, I'm just not good enough – it is as simple as that!”
Sinner enjoyed a superlative run last year that saw him win eight titles, including those two Slams and the season-ending ATP Finals in Saudi Arabia.
He has not lost a match on hard courts at a Grand Slam since being beaten in the fourth round of the US Open in 2023 by Zverev, and has won 47 of his first 50 matches as world No 1, equalling the ATP record.
Judging by his dominance in Australia, he could well be set for an even more successful 2025, or a long spell on the sidelines if that CAS ruling does not go in his favour.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 4 (Salah (pen 4, 33', & pen 88', Van Dijk (20')
Leeds United 3 (Harrison 12', Bamford 30', Klich 66')
Man of the match Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
Read more from Johann Chacko
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m, Winner: Zalman, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hisham Al Khalediah II, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Qader, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
8pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nayslayer, Bernardo Pinheiro, Jaber Ramadhan
