New Delhi, July 12 -- LONDON - It took Jannik Sinner exactly one hundred and four minutes to defend the title that now looks like it will belong to him for years. The Italian world number one dismissed Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court on Sunday to retain the Wimbledon championship, becoming the first man to hold the title back-to-back since Novak Djokovic in 2022, and extinguishing Zverev's bid for a Channel Slam before it could become history.

The match was over as a contest early. Sinner broke Zverev's serve in the opening game, held from there with barely a tremor, and spent the next hour watching Germany's best player search for an answer he did not have. By the time Sinner served out the match at love, pumped his fist ...