By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 26, 2025
Photo: Erste Bank Open Facebook
In a clash of former champions, Jannik the Sinner raised his game to raise the roof in Vienna again.
The top-seeded Sinner reeled off the last seven points in a row, passing second place Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to capture his second Vienna championship in the last three years.
The 2023 champion, Sinner, recorded his 21st straight victory in a closed field, earning his 22nd career championship.
It is Sinner’s fourth title of 2025, including his Grand Slam crowns at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and his third on hard court. Sinner joins world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and US Open semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime as the third man to win three hard-court championships this season.
“It was such a tough start to this final for me,” Sinner said.
“I broke down, I had some chances in the first set, but I couldn’t capitalize on them. He was serving really well, but I just tried to hang in there mentally and play my best tennis when it came down to it.”
Competing in his eighth final in 10 tournaments, Sinner broke through in the penultimate game and then sealed his sixth love of the day to close out a hard-fought final in two hours and 28 minutes.
Stand and deliver ⚜️
Jannik Sinner beats Zverev 3-6 6-3 7-5 in Vienna to claim his 22nd career title!#ErsteBankHapur pic.twitter.com/oEpXvKMsrt
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 26, 2025
There was also drama. Sinner appeared to strain his left leg midway through the final set. After a quick comeback, the Italian strained his left thigh but did not call the trainer and went on to win 12 of the last 13 service points to beat Zverev for the third straight time to level their head-to-head series at 4-4.
2021 champion Zverev saved a break point in the opening game by holding with one of his 11 aces.
Building a 40-hand lead in the fourth game, Sinner missed the range on his first serve and Zverev capitalized on that mistake. Sinner cruised long with a forehand and then clinched the forehand as Zverev drew first blood for a 3-1 lead.
The scrappy German saved break points in two of his first three service games. Down 15-40 in the fifth game, Zverev fired an ace down the tee to save the first break point, then asserted his aggression by knocking down a volley to draw level. When Sinner missed an open shot, Zverev won a difficult forehand for 4-1.
Serving for the set, Zverev hit three aces, including two sliders wide of the court, then hit a backhand winner for a one-set lead after 47 minutes.
Zverev saved all three break points he faced and confidently hit forehands, often his weaker forehand, when he needed to.
Because the Wimbledon winner drives the ball so deep and hits it so hard, it’s understandable why Zverev, who prefers to play well behind the baseline, would drop even deeper at times.
Throughout this run in Vienna, Sinner used the stroke effectively, mostly from the forehand. Sinner hit a forehand for double break point in the second game of the second set.
Taking the German by surprise with the backhand, Sinner curled a pass behind the wings to break for 2-0.
Sinner confirmed the break at love taking his lead to 3-0.
The No. 1 Italian won eight of the last 10 service points in the second set.
An inside-out arm slam earned Sinner a double set point. Sinner slid his fourth ace out to take the second set and force a decider after 90 minutes.
Credit to Zverev for denying a couple of break points in the fifth game of the final set. Zverev, who saved six of eight break points in the final, hit an ace that held for 3-2.
In the seventh, Sinner jumped for a wide ball and strained his left thigh and thigh after missing a hand return. Zverev held for 4-3 and Sinner regrouped on the change.
Sinner came back strongly cutting two aces in a love hold for 4 all.
As the tension escalated, Sinner was hitting the ball more and more time after time. Hitting a shot to level at two games apiece, Sinner hit a backhand winner down the line and didn’t even celebrate winning the break point in the 11th game. When Zverev ended a 17-shot rally with a backhand error, Sinner had a break for 6-5.
Raise it, champion 🏆@janniksin 🙌 @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/zCPFsCOdZl
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 26, 2025
Serving for his second Vienna crown, Sinner softened his hands in a sweet 30-0 flurry and capped his 10th consecutive Vienna victory with a return of the net.
Sinner, who is chasing rival Carlos Alcaraz for the No. 1 of the year, raised his 2025 record to 48-6 and will head to Paris playing for his first Rolex Paris Masters.
