Get you up to speed: Sinner beats Zverev to defend Wimbledon men’s singles tennis title
Jannik Sinner of Italy defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-4 to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title on Sunday. The match took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, with Sinner successfully defending his title.
Jannik Sinner’s victory at Wimbledon marks his fifth Grand Slam title, bringing him to a total of 100 match wins at major tournaments. Alexander Zverev’s performance in the final was notable, as it was his first appearance in a Wimbledon final after previously failing to reach the quarter-finals in nine attempts.
Jannik Sinner’s victory has drawn accolades from tennis officials, with the All England Club praising his “remarkable display of skill and determination” in defending his title. Following this win, Sinner is set to retain his position as world number one, while Alexander Zverev’s performance ensures he will rise to second in the ATP rankings.
What remains unclear — It is unclear how Zverev’s knee injury impacted his performance during the match.
Jannik Sinner defeats Alexander Zverev to retain Wimbledon men’s singles title
Sport|TennisSinner beats Zverev to defend Wimbledon men’s singles tennis title
Italy’s Jannik Sinner beats Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 6-4 to claim his fifth Grand Slam.
Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026
Jannik Sinner was at his clinical best as he successfully defended his Wimbledon title with a bruising four-set victory over French Open champion Alexander Zverev in the final.
The world number one recovered from losing the first set in a match largely dominated by serve, eventually wearing Zverev down to secure a 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 win on Sunday.
The Italian was rewarded for his perseverance in the contest with his first Grand Slam title since lifting the trophy at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club 12 months ago.
Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam crown is just two behind the majors tally of his injured rival Carlos Alcaraz after Sinner notched his 100th match win at tennis’s four biggest events.
He hit 58 winners against only 25 unforced errors in three hours and 46 minutes on Centre Court, refusing to buckle against an in-form Zverev, who brought a 13-match winning streak at the majors into the final.
Sinner has banished the memories of his shock second-round exit from the French Open at the hands of Juan Manuel Cerundolo, when he blew a two-set lead last month.
The closest Sinner came to crashing out of Wimbledon was in the first round when he had to come from behind to beat Miomir Kecmanovic in five sets.
It was plain sailing from then on for Sinner, who has become a fearsome force on grass.
The 24-year-old now boasts a remarkable 44-3 win-loss record this year after winning his sixth title of the season.
Zverev had never even reached the quarterfinals in nine previous visits to Wimbledon, but had been a man reborn in London after finally breaking his Grand Slam duck in Paris.
He managed to take a first set off Sinner in seven meetings, but could not kick on to snap a now 10-match losing streak against a seemingly unbreakable rival.
Zverev, who was bidding to become the first German man to win the trophy since Michael Stich in 1991, will climb above Alcaraz to second in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings on Monday.
Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a backhand against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the Wimbledon men’s singles final [Visionhaus/Getty Images]
Zverev saved the only break point of a tight first set dominated by serve as it went to a tie-break.
The first 15 points of the breaker went with serve, with both men saving set points, before Zverev clinched with a fizzing forehand winner.
There were no break points in the second set as the players again efficiently bludgeoned their way to 6-6, but this time Sinner stepped it up in the tie-break to level the match.
Zverev finally created his first break point in the seventh game of the third set, but slipped when Sinner dinked over a drop-shot winner.
He clutched his knee and Sinner crossed the net to check on his injured opponent as the crowd held its breath, but the German was helped to his feet by the Italian.
Sinner made his move in the next game as Zverev’s serve finally broke down.
Zverev threw his racquet angrily across the turf after looping a forehand long on a break point which had seen Sinner lying flat on the turf earlier in the rally.
The top seed immaculately served it out to love, sealing a two-sets-to-one lead with an ace.
Zverev gamely tried to prolong the contest, but his race was run when Sinner broke for a 4-3 advantage in the fourth set.
He wrapped up the title on serve despite a dramatic final game featuring arguably the two best rallies of the match, falling to the turf in celebration after slapping away a forehand winner on his first match point.