Dream Final at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna with Sinner and Zverev

9,800 fans first witnessed an irresistible Jannik Sinner on Saturday. The world number two defeated the Australian Alex de Minaur for the twelfth time in their encounters after 87 minutes with a score of 6:3, 6:4. The 2023 titleholder will face the 2021 winner on Sunday (2:00 PM/live on ServusTV): Alexander Zverev, the world number 3, defeated Lorenzo Musetti (ITA-4) 6:4, 7:5, taking six minutes longer.

Sinner Plays for 22nd Title in Vienna Final

"I think I started the match very well. I tried to serve well, the first set was very physical," said top star Sinner still on the court. "It was very difficult today. He changed a few things, so it wasn't easy. But being in the final in Vienna again means a lot to me." Incidentally, it is his 31st tour final. Sinner will play on Sunday for his 22nd title overall and the fourth this year after the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and Beijing.

Zverev with Declaration of Love for Vienna

Zverev was similarly satisfied afterward. After all, he had raised his level and was fresher after his walkover quarterfinal win. "I had the best opponent, of course, the level then rises. Lorenzo is a very tough opponent. I'm happy that I can play the final against Jannik tomorrow," said the German, who once again praised the venue. "Vienna is one of my absolute favorite stops on the tour, I love this amazing old town in Vienna and playing in front of this audience. Tomorrow is the perfect final that everyone deserves."

Sinner Took Command from the Start

In his current form, however, Sinner is also the favorite in the final, even though Zverev leads 4:3 in head-to-head. The last encounter was at the Australian Open final, which Sinner won in straight sets. Against De Minaur, the world number 7, Sinner took a 4:0 lead in just eleven minutes, setting the course very quickly. Although he eased off a bit afterward and for the first time in the tournament lost his serve, De Minaur could only avoid losing the set until the 40th minute.

In the second set, the underdog had to give up his service to love for 2:3. De Minaur managed an immediate rebreak, but Sinner shifted up a gear and caused the decisive service loss of his opponent for 4:3. In the end, Sinner served for a confident victory.

Zverev Hopes for His Second Vienna Title

Zverev prevailed in the tighter second semifinal against Musetti thanks to breaks at 4-3 in the first set and 6-5 in the second. The German was especially dominant on serve, with Musetti not having a single break point. The serve will likely be a key for Zverev in the eighth encounter with the South Tyrolean if he wants to put Sinner under pressure. Incidentally, the victory over Musetti was his 300th win on hard court alone.

"I know I can play better. At the beginning of the tournament, I didn't know if I would play at all. I just beat a top-ten player against whom I lost the last three times," Zverev explained. Zverev also knows that it will probably take a few extras against Sinner. "He has won two Grand Slams this year. It's not so easy to really push him to the limit."

Fight for Number 1 for 2025 Written Off

Sinner's chances of reaching the tennis throne by the end of the year are very limited. Leader Carlos Alcaraz has a significant lead. However, Sinner no longer sees this as a goal, as he stated in response to an APA inquiry. "I think it's impossible to catch up this year, but this year is very different. I didn't play for more than three months, missed very big tournaments. Then it's practically impossible to finish as number 1," Sinner explained. He was not allowed to play from February 9 to May 4 due to a three-month doping suspension after the Australian Open. "Nevertheless, it's a great season. That's why I'm very happy to be in this position. I played very few tournaments, but still played a lot of matches."

Does he feel fresher compared to last year? "Hard to say, last year we made a very good selection at the end of the year. I was very fresh, played very good tennis in Turin and played very well in the Davis Cup." Speaking of the Davis Cup: Sinner trusts the team to do well in Bologna even without him and with leader Musetti. "No, he will certainly do a good job. Even when I played, I wasn't alone. It's a great team, we're all young, we have a very experienced player in Bolelli. That's why it's a good mix, we have a great doubles team (Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori) and a lot of options in singles." Italy is Austria's quarterfinal opponent on November 19.

Vienna Semifinal Better Than All 2025 ATP 1000 Semis

It was the 20th consecutive indoor win for Sinner across seasons, and the ninth in a row in Vienna. Sinner is also a kind of defending champion - as the winner of 2023, who did not play here last year. Incidentally, it was only the fourth time in the history of the traditional tournament that the top 4 were in the semifinals. With four players from the top 8 at this stage, Vienna is better positioned than the eight Masters 1000 tournaments held so far this year.

(APA/Red)

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