Defending champion Jannik Sinner is eyeing back-to-back Australian Open titles, with Alexander Zverev and his bid for a maiden Grand Slam success standing in his way on Sunday in Melbourne.

It is the first men’s singles final at a Slam between the top two ranked players in the world since the 2019 Australian Open, which saw Novak Djokovic defeat Rafael Nadal in straight sets.

These two are the in-form duo in men’s tennis at the moment, but off the court there have been distractions.

Sinner’s run to the final has come while a long-standing doping case stemming from failed drug tests last March hangs over his head.

Although cleared to play by tennis’s integrity authority, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is seeking a ban of up to two years for the Italian at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the hearing set for April.

Zverev’s most recent of his two Grand Slam final appearances, at the French Open last summer, came after a semi-final win over Casper Ruud that took place hours after an out-of-court settlement was reached to end a trial stemming from an ex-girlfriend’s accusation of assault in 2020.

There is chatter and conjecture about both men, but both have been able to put that in a box and focus on their tennis – both excelling on court.

“He finds playing tennis matches to be his safe place,” Darren Cahill, one of Sinner’s two coaches, said. “That’s where he can go and do his thing and feel like this is what he knows, this is what he understands, what he’s good at.

“It became a home for him to step on to the court and play tennis.

“There’s been a lot of pressure around him for the last nine months now. He deals with it as well as anybody that I’ve ever seen deal with pressure.

“He’s an amazing young man that’s been able to put that to one side. He has a clear conscience.”

Sinner added ahead of the final: “There’s a lot of things going on, on and off the court. I try to isolate myself a little bit, try to be myself on the court.

“There are days where it’s easier, days where I struggle a little bit more.

“I’m trying to take the things away in my head, the pressure. Even if it’s easy to say, but difficult to do.

“I will try to do that and also enjoy these moments. We won six very, very tough matches.”

Sinner’s six ‘tough’ wins have contained only two dropped sets, against wild-card Tristan Schoolkate in the second round and 13th seed Holger Rune in the fourth – receiving medical attention for dizzy spells and an upset stomach during the latter match.

But any fears that the 23-year-old sensation was not in peak physical shape have been allayed by the ease at which he disposed of both Australian home hope Alex de Minaur in the quarter-final, and the big-serving Ben Shelton in the last four – both dispatched in straight sets – to take his tally to 20-straight wins across the end of the 2024 season and the start of this one.

It is why Sinner is favourite for Sunday’s final, even when up against the world No 2 in Zverev, a man who edges a 4-2 career win record against the Italian – including two on the hard courts of the US Open.

“We had some very tough matches in the past,” Sinner said. “Anything can happen, he’s an incredible player… there will be a lot of tension, but I’ll enjoy it.”

Zverev looks to overcome Grand Slam final fragility

Zverev has so often been the nearly man at Slams.

Two finals lost, six semi-final exits and five times knocked out in the quarters. Once thwarted at Grand Slams by the likes of Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer in the early part of his career, of late it has been the younger generation led by Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to do for him.

Alcaraz overhauled a two-sets-to-one deficit to triumph over the German in the final of the French Open last year, while Zverev surrendered a two-set lead to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open decider.

Such collapses on the biggest stage have led to accusations of mental fragility against Zverev, but his form over the past year has hinted at a stronger resolve inside the 27-year-old, with ATP 1000 titles clinched at the Italian Open and Paris Masters last year – his first at that level since 2021.

The imposing, 6ft 6in Zverev boasts one of the most powerful serves in the game, adding a greater consistency to that weapon in recent times thanks to a lower ball toss, while he is also a ferocious ball-striker from deep behind the baseline – though that style does sometimes prompt criticism his way for being too ‘passive’ in certain points.

Zverev also has a relentless engine, a part of his game that has only been further aided by his re-hiring of Andy Murray’s former trainer Jez Green for this season – a response to his wilting in that French Open five-set defeat to Alcaraz the last time her reached this stage.

“I was always very proud and I always knew that I could last with anyone for as long as I wanted when I was with Jez Green,” said Zverev. “I got tired against Carlos. I didn’t want that to happen this year anymore.”

Zverev’s staying power is perhaps part of the reason Djokovic decided to retire hurt after only one set of their semi-final on Friday.

“Even if I won the first set, it’s going to be a huge uphill battle for me to stay physically fit enough to stay with him in the rallies for another… two, three, four hours,” Djokovic said after pulling out with a torn muscle in his left leg.

The record 24-time Grand Slam champion also backed Zverev now to secure a ‘deserved’ first title.

“I wish [Zverev] all the best, he deserves his first Slam,” Djokovic said. “I’ll be cheering for him and hopefully he can get it here.”

Zverev himself insists he is ready to take the next step in his career on Sunday. “I feel like I have done the work, and I do feel like I’m ready for it,” he said.