Jannik Sinner won his 22nd ATP Tour title on Sunday after defeating world number three Alexander Zverev in the Vienna Open final.
The 24-year-old battled cramps throughout the match to triumph in three sets, winning the contest 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Victory against Zverev on Sunday marked Sinner’s third consecutive triumph against the German, following their contests in the 2024 Cincinnati Open semi-finals and the 2025 Australian Open final.
Sinner, who surpassed a record held by Andy Murray after emerging victorious in Switzerland, will look to add another title to his collection at the Paris Masters this week.
Despite defeating Zverev, the Italian was not entirely content with the current state of his game, as revealed during the post-match press conference.
Jannik Sinner wants to work on his backhand
In his post-match press conference, Sinner detailed the adjustments he made during the contest against Zverev, noting the role of the drop shot in particular.
The Italian also identified his backhand as a shot he would like to strengthen moving forward.
As per Ubitennis, Sinner said: “I think I’ve managed to make some changes.
“The drop shot feels more natural, while the backhand is a shot I need to work on, because I have to think about using it. But it’s definitely a shot I need to work on to give my game more breathing room.
“The drop shots worked well. It’s difficult against Sascha because he plays deep, but the slice will be an important shot to add in the future.”
The Italian was also asked about his shift away from the drop shot in the third set – a return to his more recognisable baseline-focused game.
“I think he [Zverev] finally started to understand when I was hitting the last two or three drop shots I’d given him,” Sinner said.
“Then he started playing a little deeper and more aggressively, so it was difficult to find the time to play them.
“I definitely felt a little less relaxed too, with the tension. I didn’t feel like playing them again, so I made this choice.”
Jannik Sinner wins his fourth title of 2025
Jannik Sinner’s triumph at the Vienna Open marked his fourth title success of the year.
The Italian captured his first title at the Australian Open, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final and consequently defending his 2024 title in Melbourne.
Six months later, the Italian avenged his heartbreaking French Open final loss by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
The 24-year-old secured his third title in October, defeating Learner Tien to win the China Open title.
His fourth title of the year was confirmed on Sunday, following his victory against Zverev in Vienna.
