The Australian Open is about to close its curtain.! Yesterday, Madison Keys lit up Rod Laver Arena to become the women’s champion. Now, it’s time for the men’s showdown: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner takes on World No. 2 Alexander Zverev. Sounds like a blockbuster, right? Not quite—at least, according to fans.

This is no ordinary match for Jannik Sinner. The 23-year-old is chasing history as he aims for his third Grand Slam title. If he wins, he will become the youngest man to clinch multiple Australian Open titles since Jim Courier in 1992-93. His stats are impressive, too. Sinner has claimed victory in 36 of his past 37 matches, a run that dates back to the Cincinnati Open last year. On the other side of the net, Alexander Zverev is hoping to break a tough streak.

The German has lost his first two Grand Slam finals—a five-set heartbreaker to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open and another five-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros last year. If he falls short this time, he’ll become the seventh player in the Open Era to lose his first three major finals. That’s not the kind of history Zverev is looking to make.

Sinner and Zverev have some history, but it hasn’t exactly set the tennis world on fire. Zverev leads their head-to-head series 4-2, but Sinner can take comfort in the fact that he won their last encounter—a semifinal in Cincinnati. This is the fourth time they’re meeting at a Grand Slam, and given their rankings as World No. 1 and No. 2, this should feel like a blockbuster. Instead, fans have other thoughts.

Fans react to a lacklustre final clash between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev

Fans didn’t hold back their criticism and wrote, “it gives more semifinal vibes lol”

The lukewarm reception to the final might have something to do with the semifinals. Both matches were over quickly, robbing the tournament of its usual drama. Novak Djokovic, who many thought could make the final, retired from his semifinal against Alexander Zverev due to a hamstring injury. The German tennis star took the first set in a tiebreak before Djokovic called it quits.

Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, cruised past American sensation Ben Shelton in straight sets: 7-6, 6-2, 6-2. While the wins were convincing, neither semifinal delivered the kind of drama fans expect this deep into a Grand Slam.

One fan wrote, “Idk how else to say this but Sinner v. Zverev doesn’t FEEL like a grand slam final. At all.”

Another expressing concern and saying, “And it’s literally the no.1 seed vs the no.2 seed. That can’t be good 😂”

One fan wrote, “It’s sh*t that what it is. I probably looked up from my phone in the last two hours twice.”

The energy of this final just isn’t living up to last year’s epic battles. Speaking of last year, the 23-year-old tennis star’s performance in the 2024 Australian Open final set a high bar. He defeated Daniil Medvedev in an unforgettable five-set thriller, coming back from two sets down to win 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3. Compared to that drama, this year’s final feels, well, flat.

“I’m bored with this match honestly 🥹,” one fan tweeted during the final. Another added, “Agreed… It feels like a Quarterfinal.”

As Sinner closes in on defending his Australian Open title, the question isn’t just about who will win—it’s about whether this final will leave a lasting impression. With Zverev trying to break his losing streak in Grand Slam finals and Sinner aiming for history, there’s still a lot on the line. Will this match defy expectations and deliver the drama fans are craving?