After what was an enthralling women’s Madrid Open final yesterday, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev have some work to do to match the level and drama attained in that straight-sets clash.
And, both players will be keen to follow in Marta Kostyuk’s footsteps, who won her maiden WTA 1000 event by beating Mirra Andreeva.
Heading into that clash, few could pick a winner, with many leaning towards the Russian as a slight favourite due to her experience at such a young age.
Alas, Kostyuk defied the odds to cement her spot in history, and Alexander Zverev must take inspiration from this if he is to achieve an even more unlikely victory today.
Tracy Austin previews the Madrid Open final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev
Previewing the clash on Tennis Channel, both Tracy Austin and Steve Johnson feared for the German’s chances.
Alas, the former pundit was far more sympathetic, seeking to find some way in which Zverev can come out on top.
Who will win the men’s Madrid Open final?
First asked for her prediction, the American tennis legend admitted: “Well, shocker, I’m gonna take Jannik Sinner.”
However, she then added: “I just think this is such an uphill battle, because where do you go against Sinner? He’s got great offence, he keeps getting better with that, he has great defence as far as mobility, quick out of the corners. Now he’s at even more variation.
“Can Sascha, who I think [has had] one of the highest first serve percentages this week, a couple of big matches, he’s winning over 80% of his first serve points, but you’ve got a different returner on the other side.
“So, maybe Sascha, he’s not real comfortable moving his return position. Can he go closer to the baseline and try to rob time from Sinner? Can he use a little variation? The whole thing’s gonna be tough.
“How about this? Maybe he serves and volleys once in a while, just to throw in some surprises?”
Johnson quickly shut that down, arguing: “That would probably be a good for Sinner.”
He then shut down any chances Zverev had, adding: “He needs to go against the grain, you’re absolutely right, but look, as long as Sascha can serve, like, 90%, win 85% of those points, win the backhand to backhand rallies, win some of those dynamic athletic points, then he’ll lose in three sets.
Do you really believe that Alexander Zverev can win a Grand Slam title?
“But if he doesn’t do any of that, he’s going to lose in straights tomorrow to Jannik Sinner, and that train just continues to roll on to Rome.”
Zverev made a crucial change during his semi-final win earlier this week, but will need to be even more bold when he plays Jannik Sinner later today.
Is Steve Johnson’s prediction about the Madrid Open final harsh on Alexander Zverev?
In the studio, when Johnson made his claim about the Madrid Open final, Austin chuckled due to its severity. He did not hold back, giving Zverev close to no chance at even troubling the world number one.
However, given he is the second seed and world number three, a three-time Grand Slam finalist and a two-time former champion at this event, it could be argued that he was a tad harsh.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner |
| 2026 | Monte Carlo Masters | Semi-final | Jannik Sinner |
| 2026 | Miami Open | Semi-final | Jannik Sinner |
| 2026 | Indian Wells | Semi-final | Jannik Sinner |
| 2025 | ATP Finals | Round Robin | Jannik Sinner |
| 2025 | Paris Masters | Semi-final | Jannik Sinner |
| 2025 | Vienna Open | Final | Jannik Sinner |
| 2025 | Australian Open | Final | Jannik Sinner |
| 2024 | Cincinnati Open | Semi-final | Jannik Sinner |
Alas, it is hard to build a case for Zverev on this occasion.
After all, not only is he coming up against a player currently enjoying a 27-match win streak at Masters 1000 events, but he has actually not beaten Sinner since 2023, having lost their last eight encounters.
It is far more than the ‘uphill task’ that Austin suggests it is. Perhaps Johnson was right to be so steadfast.
