Resilient Sinner edges Zverev in Cincinnati arm-wrestle
Sinner showed exceptional mental toughness to stick with Zverev, despite more discomfort from his hip
Jannik Sinner – © Julien Nouet / Tennis Majors
Jannik Sinner edged Alexander Zverev in a titanic three-hour, seven-minute clash to make his first final at the Cincinnati Open in Ohio on Sunday night.
The world No 1 struggled with his ongoing hip injury again at times throughout the semi-final, and for large swathes of the match was playing catch up tennis as Zverev dictated play.
However, Sinner hung tough with the big-serving Zverev and raised his level when it mattered most, producing magic to win both of the match’s two tiebreaks and claim victory 7-6 (9), 5-7, 7-6 (4).
In doing so, he makes his second Masters 1000 final of 2024 and becomes the first-ever Italian man to make the final of the Cincinnati Open.
“I’m very, very happy with this performance, happy to be in the final,” declared Sinner.
“Some ups and downs, which can happen, especially when you play for more than three hours.
“I just tried to stay there mentally, which I’m very proud of.
“It means a lot to me. It’s a very different moment, with what I’ve gone through.”
Zverev misses out on first set
It was Zverev that drew first blood in this clash, with the German entering the pair’s sixth meeting having beaten Sinner in their last four matches.
In just the third game, Zverev pushed Sinner to deuce on his serve, then broke at the first opportunity for a 2-1 lead. He held the advantage right up until 5-4, when the world No 4 failed to serve out the set, courtesy of a double fault and Sinner executing a glorious passing shot.
That meant the opening set was to be decided by a tiebreak, which went down to the finest of margins. Zverev again had an opportunity to pull in front, holding set point twice at 6-5 and then 8-7 in the breaker. On one occasion Sinner nearly botched an overhead, barely catching the outside of the line to stay in the set.
Sinner eventually eked his way to an 11-9 win in the tiebreak, taking a set lead after an hour and 10 minutes.
Sinner magic separates the two
Over the next two hours, very little separated Sinner and Zverev.
Both served well, making 62 and 65 percent of first serve for a win percentage of 70 and 72 percent. Winners were 37 apiece across the match, while unforced errors read 22 to 29 in Sinner’s favour.
The main separating factor – which saw Sinner win the match – was the 23-year-old’s ability to conjure up magic in the pressure moments.
He was unable to do so in the second set, with Zverev going on a seven-point streak to hold serve to love and get up 40-0 on Sinner’s serve.
But in the third, when neither player offered up a break point across the first 12 games, it was Sinner who remarkably raised his level in the deciding tiebreak.
Zverev consistently gave Sinner a target to hit with his passing shot – approaching the net 24 times for just 14 successes – and the Italian nailed it every single time in the final tiebreak. He also returned well, making extra shots to force errors from Zverev.
While Sinner was thrilled with the victory, he remains realistic about his condition today.
“The physical aspect, I have to improve,” Sinner shared on court. “If I want to win Grand Slams or bigger titles, I have to be for sure more in shape.”
Sinner will face either Frances Tiafoe or Holger Rune in the final on Monday.
