Australian Open: Defending champion Jannik Sinner faces Alexander Zverev in the men's final

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Defending champion Jannik Sinner will face Alexander Zverev in the first Australian Open men’s final between the players ranked No. 1 and No. 2 since Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in 2019.

The top-seeded Sinner is a 23-year-old from Italy who can become the youngest man to win two consecutive trophies at Melbourne Park since Jim Courier in 1992 and 1993. Sinner also won the U.S. Open last September, shortly after being exonerated in a doping case that is still not entirely resolved.

Sinner will be attempting to become the first man since Nadal at the French Open in 2005 and 2006 to follow up his first Grand Slam title by repeating as the champion at the same tournament a year later.

Sinner enters Sunday on a 20-match winning streak that dates to late last season.

The second-seeded Zverev is a 27-year-old from Germany who is seeking his first Grand Slam title. He is 0-2 in previous major finals and lost both in five sets.

Zverev advanced to the final when Djokovic quit playing after the first set of their semifinal on Friday because of a torn muscle in his left leg. Djokovic, who was booed by some spectators as he left Rod Laver Arena, posted a photo of his hamstring's MRI on social media early Sunday, with the caption: “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there.”

Play is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. EST), and Sinner is listed as the favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

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The Associated Press