Was the Australian Open underwhelming? Defending champion Jannik Sinner retained his title after crushing Alexander Zverev‘s hopes for the first Grand Slam. This year’s campaign saw some unexpected moments, including the biggest upset for Alex de Minaur, Novak Djokovic‘s unexpected retirement in the semifinals, and more. But is it forgettable? Or does Sinner’s domination overshadow it all? Let’s see what a former American tennis star has to say about the world No. 1 and AO 2025.

In the Australian Open Nothing Major podcast on Spotify, some experts took insight into the Australian Open men’s final, focusing on Jannik Sinner’s exceptional dominance on hard courts. The 23-year-old Italian secured his third consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam title, adding to his victories at the US Open and last year’s Australian Open. Former ATP player Sam Querrey admired Sinner’s achievements, saying, “He won Australia, won the US Open, now won Australia again. Three hardcourt slams in a row—it’s pretty impressive from him.”

Querrey highlighted the Italian’s serving abilities as a key factor in his success. “You don’t think of Jannik Sinner as a guy with a massive serve. He’s got a great serve, he’s made some improvements on it,” he explained. The former American star noted that Sinner’s serve has become a reliable weapon, even against strong returners like Alexander Zverev. “Sinner’s not six-foot-six hitting serves at 140, but he’s got a great serve,” he elaborated.

Despite Sinner’s dominance, Querrey criticized the overall quality of the ATP draw at this year’s Australian Open. He described that the men’s tournament lacked vitality, with very few matches leaving a lasting impression. “Honestly, the entire men’s tournament kind of sucked this year,” Sam stated. He elaborated on the absence of standout moments, “When we talk about this tournament in six months, you’re not going to remember any of the matches.”

The former world no.11 acknowledged that Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic’s earlier clash added some excitement to the tournament. But the tour eventually failed to deliver the drama and intensity fans have come to expect. “Alcaraz-Djokovic was fun, but you didn’t have that one match where you go, ‘Wow, that was unforgettable,’” he remarked. From Querrey’s perspective, Sinner’s impressive dominance highlighted the gap between him and the rest on the hard courts.

As fans reflect on this year’s Australian Open, Sinner’s victory remains the sole bright spot in such a huge competition.

Jannik Sinner triumphs amid uncertainty

Calm under pressure and ruthless in execution, Jannik Sinner displayed his brilliance to overpower Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open final. The 23-year-old World No. 1  retained his title with a dominating 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory, bagging his third Grand Slam trophy. With this win, Sinner became the first Italian to achieve it, solidifying his position as the best player in the men’s game.

Pressure, even in the one-sided final, brought out the best in Sinner. Serving at 5-6, 30-30 in the second set, he turned defense into attack with stunning on-the-run forehands and an accurate backhand to win the point. The crowd erupted, but Sinner stood composed and focused. “I like to dance in the pressure storm,” he had said after his first Major win last year and proved it yet again on the court.

After his victory, the 23-year-old reflected on his game. “It was an amazing performance from my side. This one has a different feeling (and) means so much to me,” he said, holding the trophy.

Off the court, uncertainty awaits Sinner. Following two failed dope tests, he successfully appealed his case of accidental contamination, avoiding a ban for now. But with WADA’s appeal scheduled for April, his future in upcoming Majors, including the French Open and Wimbledon would rely on.

For now, World No. 1 is cherishing the win. “When I go on the court, even if sometimes it’s very difficult to block these kind of things, I have the team and people who are close to me who trust me,” he stated. Despite challenges, the Italian champion continues to rise above and let his game speak for itself.