Clinical Sinner outlasts Zverev to win back-to-back Wimbledon titles and fifth Grand Slam

[p]The world number one recovered from losing the first set in a match largely dominated by serve, eventually wearing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a] down to secure [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=n5DWLXD5"]a 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 win.[/a][/p][p][b]"You can feel the nerves on Sunday morning, it is a very special place," [/b]said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Sinner[/a], who saved the only break point he faced on Centre Court.[/p][p][b]"You never know how many times you are going to come back. I never take it for granted."[/b][/p][p]The Italian was rewarded for his perseverance in an attritional contest with his first Grand Slam title since lifting the trophy at the All England Club 12 months ago.[/p][p][b]Sinner's fifth Slam crown is just two behind the majors tally of his injured rival [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] after notching his 100th match win at tennis' four biggest events.[/b][/p][p]He hit 58 winners against only 25 unforced errors in three hours and 46 minutes on Centre Court, refusing to buckle against an in-form Zverev who brought a 13-match winning streak at the Slams into the final.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="3e9d6532-f4d8-425a-b147-d2c247061840" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="40242d53-9887-4f5b-b879-a80ac8d6dbfc" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]"It has been an amazing final once again. It takes two players," [/b]added Sinner, who banks the winner's prize of £3.6 million.[/p][p][b]"I'm very happy about the win, but I'm mostly very happy about the level we played."[/b][/p][p]Sinner has banished the memories of his shock second-round exit from the French Open at the hands of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-juan-manuel/A93TM7BR/"]Juan Manuel Cerundolo[/a] when he blew a two-set lead last month.[/p][p]The closest Sinner came to crashing out of Wimbledon was in the first round when he had to come from behind to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kecmanovic-miomir/MTQ5CPOR/"]Miomir Kecmanovic[/a] in five sets.[/p][p]It was plain sailing from then on for Sinner, who has become a fearsome force on grass.[/p][p][b]The 24-year-old now boasts a remarkable 44-3 win-loss record this year after winning his sixth title of the season.[/b][/p][image alt="Sinner's recent results at Wimbledon" id="29dfb245-aed3-482b-9a1a-d116b1b9abd8" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="7ff22d35-c415-4838-8b82-c3d6b50d574a" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Zverev had never even reached the quarter-finals in nine previous visits to Wimbledon.[/p][p]He managed to take a first set off Sinner in seven meetings, but could not kick on to snap a now 10-match losing streak against a seemingly unbreakable rival.[/p][p]Zverev, who was bidding to become the first German man to win the trophy since Michael Stich in 1991, will climb above Alcaraz to second in the ATP rankings on Monday.[/p][p][b]"At 29 years old, it's the first time I actually believe I can win this trophy," [/b]said the second seed.[/p][h2]Sinner wins war of attrition[/h2][p]Zverev saved the only break point of a tight first set dominated by serve as it went to a tie-break.[/p][p]The first 15 points of the breaker went with serve, with both men saving set points, before Zverev clinched it with a fizzing forehand winner.[/p][p]There were no break points in the second set as the players again efficiently bludgeoned their way to 6-6, but this time Sinner stepped it up in the tie-break to level the match.[/p][p]Zverev finally created his first break point in the seventh game of the third set, but slipped when Sinner dinked over a drop-shot winner.[/p][p]He clutched his knee and Sinner crossed the net to check on his opponent as the crowd held its breath, but was helped to his feet by the Italian.[/p][p]Sinner made his move in the next game as Zverev's serve finally broke down.[/p][embed guid="88bd8c66-15f1-4678-aa2b-fdd40b5dc106" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gIon03nzI0" social-type="youtube" /][p]Zverev threw his racquet angrily across the turf after looping a forehand long on a break point which had seen Sinner lying flat on the turf earlier in the rally.[/p][p]The top seed immaculately served it out to love, sealing a two-sets-to-one lead with an ace.[/p][p]Zverev gamely tried to prolong the contest but his race was run when Sinner broke for a 4-3 advantage in the fourth set.[/p][p]He wrapped up the title on serve despite a dramatic final game featuring arguably the two best rallies of the match, falling to the turf in celebration after slapping away a forehand winner on his first match point.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/wimbledon/"]Catch up on the men's singles tournament here.[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="e4d8200d-597f-48d7-83c2-d394f1217426" /]