Jannik Sinner retained his Australian Open title with an emphatic 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev on Sunday, breaking new ground for Italian tennis and leaving his German rival smarting after a third Grand Slam final defeat.

MELBOURNE — There’s all sorts of ways beyond merely the score to measure just how dominant Jannik Sinner was while outplaying and frustrating Alexander Zverev during the 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory Sunday that earned the 23-year-old Italian a second consecutive Australian Open championship.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Jannik Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the Australian Open final at Melbourne Park Sunday. The No. 1 seed prevailed over the No. 2 seed in a match ultimately decided by Zverev’s discomfort at the net, Sinner’s underrated first serve, and a kiss of death from the net.