Alexander ‘Sascha’ Zverev failed to navigate past one last hurdle that stood between him and his maiden Slam title finish. Unfortunately for the German, he had to settle with a runner-up finish once again after Italian Jannik Sinner outclassed him to successfully defend his Australian Open title. However, the top seed showcased empathy towards his final-round opponent and that heartfelt gesture is now making rounds on social media.

Both players jetted to Melbourne for a season-opening triumph at the hardcourt Major but, like the rules of any sport, only one shall prevail. Sinner filled that spot with quite an ease as he largely dominated throughout the match, despite battling the German star’s resistance in the second set that resulted in a tiebreaker. Determined to enhance his resume further, the Italian player delivered some of his best tennis at the Rod Laver Arena to lift his third overall Slam in just a year.

However, for Sascha, he ended up with a third runner-up finish on the Grand Slam stage. While the update is heartbreaking enough for fans, it was even harder for the German player to bear in the aftermath of the summit clash. As Zverev struggled to compose himself, Sinner offered him a supportive shoulder moments before the players stepped afoot to address the crowd during the champion’s ceremony at Melbourne Park. A clip of a sobbing Zverev getting consoled by the top seed later surfaced online.

Overall, the match was a struggle for both players, however, it was Sascha who bore the brunt of Sinner’s shots more often than it happened the other way around. Constant reliance on his defense strategy was what led his Italian rival to overpower him on crucial points. More brownie points came loaded for the top seed when he dismantled Sascha’s confidence in the second set tiebreaker and after that, glory never seemed far from reach.

To maintain a true sportsmanship spirit, Sinner also heaped praise on the 27-year-old German.

Jannik Sinner believes Alexander Zverev can land a Grand Slam win someday

It all worked out at the end for Italian superstar Jannik Sinner. After enduring months of backlash stemming from his controversial doping nightmare from early 2024, Jannik Sinner let fans and naysayers know he is there to stay.

The Italian battled past staunch criticism from the detractors and sometimes from former pros as well to stand at the highest level of the sport once again for the third time in his young career. After becoming the first Italian to lift three Slam titles in Melbourne, Sinner reserved a few words about his final-round opponent Alexander Zverev during the customary award presentation ceremony at the Rod Laver Arena.

“A tough day for you and your whole team, your family. You have an incredible team behind you. You are an amazing player. Keep believing in yourself because I think we all players and everyone involved in this sport knows how strong you are as a player but also as a person so keep it up, keep working hard. We all believe that you can lift this (AO title) very soon. (I) Wish you only the best,” said Sinner.

Both players will likely take some time off to recover from their exhausting two-week campaigns at Melbourne Park before they can take to the court once again for the upcoming tour-level adventures.