Jannik Sinner subdues Alexander Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Wimbledon final to retain crown

The final

Alexander Zverev arrived at Centre Court five weeks after winning his maiden Grand Slam in Paris, but he could not replicate the feat on grass. Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1 and defending champion, turned a one-set deficit into a 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 victory after 3 hours and 48 minutes. The two men traded tiebreaks in the opening sets: Zverev saved a set point and clinched the first 9-7, his first set won against Sinner since October 2025. Sinner responded by dominating the second-set breaker 7-2 and then seized control.

The turning points

The pivotal moment occurred deep in the third set at 3-3. Zverev slipped on the baseline, clutched his knee, and stayed down. Sinner rushed across to help him up, but the disruption broke the German's rhythm. Sinner earned his first break of the afternoon as Zverev's forehand lost its sting, and the Italian closed out the set 6-3 with an ace. In the fourth, Zverev saved two break points at 3-3 but could not hold off Sinner's return game. A sharp inside-out forehand winner gave Sinner the decisive 5-3 advantage, and he served out the match to 15.

Historical context

Zverev was aiming to become the third German man to lift the trophy after Boris Becker (1985, 1986, 1989) and Michael Stich (1991). A win would also have made him the first player in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles back to back, a feat known as the Channel Slam. Instead, he fell to his fourth defeat in five major finals and extended the German men's drought to 35 years. The last German singles champion at Wimbledon was Angelique Kerber in 2018.

Sinner's grip

Sinner retained the title and claimed his fifth Grand Slam crown, all since the start of 2024. He has now defeated Zverev in all 10 of their meetings since the German's last win, which came almost three years ago, and leads their head-to-head 11-4. The Italian broke Zverev's serve just once in the match but never faced a break point himself, highlighting his serving under pressure.

Notable attendees

The Royal Box held Princess Catherine, Prince William, and their children George and Charlotte, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who chatted with the prince during the match. Hollywood figures Nicole Kidman, Ben Stiller, and Jennifer Lopez were among the crowd.

Prize money and ranking

Sinner earned 4.22 million euros for his victory, while Zverev collected 2.11 million euros. The result nevertheless lifts Zverev to world No. 2 when the rankings update on Monday.