Australian Open quick hits: Zverev's missing racquet and Keys's beach day

The 2025 Australian Open final day was marked by some notable events. Alexander Zverev's racquet mysteriously disappeared, while Jannik Sinner displayed an indomitable performance, and the match also featured what could be considered the rally of the tournament. Here's a quick recap of some of the key moments from the final day.

In the first set of the final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, the first seven games were relatively uneventful. The world's top two players were both serving well and making few mistakes, resulting in a high-quality match. However, at 4-3, during a changeover, Zverev began to question the umpire, Damien Dumusois. He stated that he had sent two racquets for restringing an hour before the match but had received only one, or possibly none at all.

Zverev was about to serve with an old racquet that had only been used for six games, and with a newly strung racquet, his serve would have been more threatening. He told Dumusois, "I need it now," but it was too late. There seemed to be a misunderstanding between Zverev, his team, and the officials about when the racquets were supposed to be returned. Two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier, commentating on Channel Nine, said, "Strings lose some tension during a match. They are trying to control those brand new, very lively balls." Whether it was the tension of the strings or a mental distraction, Zverev quickly fell behind 0-30, then 15-40, and ultimately lost a crucial game in the first set.

It is often said that luck is more important than skill. Jannik Sinner, however, seemed to possess both. Trailing 5-6 in the second set, Sinner faced a turning point in the match at 30-30 on his serve. Had he lost the point, Zverev would have had a set point and his first break point of the match. What followed was possibly the best rally of the tournament. It featured power, skill, athleticism, volleys, drop shots, lobs, and everything in between, with the 21-shot exchange ending with a precise backhand passing shot from Sinner. He then went on to win the tiebreak, aided by a lucky point where his forehand clipped the net and trickled over. What should have been a simple backhand for Zverev turned into an impossible drop shot, and two points later, Sinner was up by two sets.

Sinner's dominance over Zverev in the final was exemplified by the fact that he did not face a single break point on his serve. In his 16 service games, the closest he came to danger was at 4-5 in the second set when he trailed 0-30, but he won four consecutive points to avert the crisis. Overall, he won 72 of 95 points on his serve, including the second-set tiebreak. Zverev, one of the best servers on the tour, did well to save eight break points, but Sinner only needed one break in each of the first and third sets to seal the victory. He is only the third player since 2000 to not face a single break point in a Grand Slam final, the other two being legends Roger Federer (2003 Wimbledon against Mark Philippoussis) and Rafael Nadal (2017 US Open against Kevin Anderson). To be in their company is no small feat.

While it was the final night of the Australian Open, there were still some memorable and heartwarming moments. On day 15, perhaps the most poignant moment came before the men's singles final, when Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher, came onto Rod Laver Arena. A former Essendon Aussie Rules player and ex-Melbourne coach, Daniher has been raising public awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The 63-year-old, who was diagnosed with MND in 2013, is the co-founder and patron of the charity Fight MND. When Daniher appeared on Rod Laver Arena, the man who has worked tirelessly to help others received a well-deserved standing ovation. With the eyes of the world watching, Daniher’s interaction with the crowd, and the admiration for him, was a display of the best of Australia.

Madison Keys woke up on the morning after becoming a Grand Slam champion. After defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the women's singles final, the popular American had a full day of media commitments. A highlight was taking the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup to the Brighton Beach bathing boxes. Keys, beaming with a huge smile, thanked the fans who had flocked to Melbourne Park over the past 15 days. “Still can’t believe what happened [Saturday] night,” she said in a video posted on the Australian Open’s social media page. “But so, so happy and honoured to win my first Grand Slam here in Melbourne. I can’t wait to come back and defend.” With her first Grand Slam title under her belt and a return to the women's top 10, the American's prospects for 2025 look bright.