Alexander Zverev came up short in the Madrid Open final, falling to Jannik Sinner in a one-sided contest.
The world number one needed less than an hour to wrap up a 6-1, 6-2 win at La Caja Mágica.
Zverev had hoped to claim his first title of the year and the 25th of his career, but it was Sinner who added another trophy to his growing collection. It marked the Italian’s fourth title of 2026 and the 28th overall.
Despite Zverev’s run to the final, not everyone was convinced by his play throughout the tournament. Former player Marion Bartoli was among those who felt he looked off the pace against top-level opposition.
Marion Bartoli was left stunned by Alexander Zverev’s performance against Jannik Sinner
Speaking after the match, Zverev apologised for his performance, aware that fans had every right to feel let down by the one-sided contest.
Bartoli told Sky Sports Tennis: “I was sitting court side and I could not believe what I was seeing. I felt Zverev was late almost on every rally.
“He had been sitting there in previous matches where he was on top of the ball and having half a second to decide where to go.
“Today was half a second late in preparation because the ball travelled that much faster and that much extra weight from Jannik Sinner.
“You could see from his body language he was 2cm away from it. It was just incredible the level that Sinner was able to produce on the court.”
Sinner extends remarkable streak against Zverev
It was another strong showing from Sinner, though Zverev didn’t do much to trouble him on the other side of the net.
That win moves Sinner’s lead in their career meetings to 10-4, with an especially lopsided recent run—he’s now beaten Zverev nine times in a row.
The German had been hoping to add to his 24 career titles but instead left empty-handed, while Sinner took another step forward in what has already been an impressive season.
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