07/12/26 05:06:00
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07/12 17:04 CDT Jannik Sinner bounces back with another Wimbledon title after
his French Open meltdown
Jannik Sinner bounces back with another Wimbledon title after his French Open
meltdown
By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer
LONDON (AP) --- A year ago, it was a matter of bouncing back after wasting
three match points in a devastating loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open
final and showing that he could still win a Grand Slam after a three-month
doping ban.
This year it was about demonstrating that he still has the physical toughness
to win a major after a debilitating second-round meltdown at Roland Garros in a
Paris heat wave
Whatever gets thrown Jannik Sinner's way in the French capital --- it seems
lately --- only makes him stronger across the Channel in London.
For the second straight year, Sinner responded to adversity in Paris with a
title at Wimbledon.
The top-ranked Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 on
Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his
German opponent appeared bothered by a knee issue following a slip to the grass
on a key point in the third set.
When Sinner ripped a forehand winner up the line on his first match point, the
Italian dropped to the grass on his back in an unusually dramatic celebration
for the normally low-key Italian.
"This one means a lot because (it) was a tough one after Paris again," Sinner
said. "I'm proud of myself and my team, which continues to push me in the right
direction."
Amid stifling heat and humidity in Paris in late May, Sinner had his 30-match
winning streak ended after coming within one game of a straight-set victory
over Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who was ranked No. 56.
Sinner went in for medical exams in Milan after the Paris defeat and didn't
play an official match again until he arrived at Wimbledon, where he twice had
to come back from a set down in a five-set marathon against Miomir Kecmanovic
in the first round.
Sinner then didn't drop a set the rest of the way until the final, having
dominated against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
"It goes to show the maturity of the player that we're working with," said
Darren Cahill, one of Sinner's coaches. "That he can take a kick in the guts
like that.
"What makes us the most proud of him and working with him is the way he comes
back from those," Cahill added. "It doesn't put him down for too long."
It was Sinner's fifth Grand Slam title.
"I don't think this one was any more important than any of the others that he's
played," Cahill said. "But it felt damn special, that's for sure."
It was Sinner's 10th straight victory over Zverev, who was coming off his first
Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Zverev's previous best performance at Wimbledon was reaching the fourth round
three times.
"I'm 29 years old and this is the first time I actually believe I can win this
trophy," Zverev said.
Prince William joined his wife Kate and two of their children for the final in
a star-studded Royal Box that also included actors Dustin Hoffman, Nicole
Kidman and Ben Stiller.
"There's no better place to play tennis," Sinner said during the trophy
ceremony.
Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova in an all-Czech women's final on Saturday
for her first Grand Slam title.
Zverev slips
The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his only break
point of the match at 3-3 in the third set -- 2 hours and 42 minutes in. Sinner
produced a drop shot and Zverev slipped and appeared to hyper-extend his right
knee as he attempted to change directions behind the baseline.
Zverev grasped his knee in apparent discomfort and Sinner went around the net
and helped his opponent up off the grass. Zverev quickly resumed playing but he
appeared slightly hampered and slung his racket across the baseline in
frustration when he missed a forehand and handed Sinner the first break of the
match and a 5-3 lead in the third. Sinner then served it out.
Zverev had also lost 14 straight sets to Sinner and when he claimed the opening
set of the final with a forehand winner up the line to conclude a tight
tiebreaker, he let out a loud roar toward his box as he bent over in
celebration.
Zverev continually cranked out serves at up to 139 mph (224 kph), while Sinner
produced a series of well-placed aces at a slightly lower speed.
But Sinner began to read Zverev's serve better in the second-set tiebreaker and
Zverev started to miss forehands.
"He showed once again," Zverev said, "why he's the best player in the world."
Sinner produced 58 winners to Zverev's 49 and had only 25 unforced errors to
Zverev's 45.
Zverev led 17-15 in aces.
Sinner became the first player to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon
without conceding a service game in either the semifinals (against Novak
Djokovic) or the final since Roger Federer did it in 2003 against Andy Roddick
and Mark Philippoussis, respectively, en route to the first of his record eight
titles.
Sinner conceded one break point in both the semifinals and final and saved both
of them.
Despite the defeat, Zverev will leapfrog Alcaraz into the No. 2 spot in the
rankings on Monday.
Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to a right
wrist injury.
___
Associated Press writer Mattias Karn contributed.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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