MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥 Defending champion Jannik Sinner will face Alexander Zverev in the first Australian Open men鈥檚 final between the players ranked No. 1 and No. 2 since Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in 2019.
The top-seeded Sinner is a 23-year-old from Italy who can become the youngest man to win two consecutive trophies at Melbourne Park since Jim Courier in 1992 and 1993. Sinner also won the U.S. Open last September, shortly after being exonerated in a doping case that is still not entirely resolved.
Sinner will be attempting to become the first man since at the French Open in 2005 and 2006 to follow up his first title by repeating as the champion at the same tournament a year later.
on a 20-match winning streak that dates to late last season.
The is a 27-year-old from Germany who is seeking his first Grand Slam title. He is 0-2 in previous major finals and lost both in five sets.
Zverev advanced to the final when after the first set of their semifinal on Friday because of a torn muscle in his left leg. Djokovic, who was booed by some spectators as he left Rod Laver Arena, on social media early Sunday, with the caption: 鈥淭hought I鈥檇 leave this here for all the sports injury 鈥榚xperts鈥 out there.鈥
Play is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. EST), and Sinner is listed as the favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
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