Daily Dose of Social Media: Jannik Sinner cheers victory, honors Kobe Bryant, and consoles Alexander Zverev

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Jannik Sinner takes center stage after winning the Australian Open title. The World No. 1 toasted during his press conference, honoring basketball player Kobe Bryant on the anniversary of his tragic accident, and consoled an emotional Alexander Zverev after his defeat.

Meanwhile, 4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka shared a series of photos from her days in New York, Hubert Hurkacz enjoyed the Rallye Monte-Carlo, and Rafael Nadal made a return, playing golf.

Sinner triumphs at the Australian Open

Jannik Sinner is the man of the moment in the tennis world after securing his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. This marks his third consecutive hard-court major, following a commanding victory over Alexander Zverev in the final. Sinner delivered an outstanding performance, winning 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3.

The Italian shared a message with fans on social media, thanking them for their support and celebrated his victory with a glass of champagne at the press conference.

"Taking this trophy home for a second time feels absolutely unreal!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ To my team and all of you who’ve cheered me on from every corner of the world – thank you! Huge respect to @AlexZverev for an incredible match 🤝🏻🤝🏻🤝🏻🇦🇺 @AustralianOpen" he posted.

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The tribute to Kobe Bryant

One standout image from Sinner's celebration with the trophy featured his official photoshoot, where he wore sneakers paying tribute to the legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant. The photos were taken on the fifth anniversary of the tragic accident that claimed the NBA legend's life, along with his daughter and seven others. Sinner donned the new Nike Air Force 1 Low Retro QS Bryant, a design from one of his main sponsors.

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Sinner consoles an emotional Zverev

Alexander Zverev suffered heartbreak once again, losing his third Grand Slam final. Previously defeated at the 2020 US Open by Dominic Thiem and the 2024 French Open by Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev was unable to claim the elusive major title. Visibly moved during the trophy ceremony, Zverev shed tears after the defeat. Sinner showed great sportsmanship, approaching Zverev to offer him a hug and words of consolation.

Zverev decided to make a change to his schedule for this season and will travel to the Golden Swing in South America for the first time in his career. The German player chose to play the Argentina Open and Rio Open in February, after acknowledging that the indoor conditions at European tournaments are not entirely comfortable for him.

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Stars gather for the Australian Open Final

The Australian Open final attracted several high-profile celebrities, as is customary at Grand Slam events. Australian actor Liam Hemsworth attended with his girlfriend, model Gabriella Brooks. Cricket coach Ricky Ponting, actor Jackie Chan, and K-pop stars Sana and Mark Lee also made appearances at the event.

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Osaka shares snowy New York snapshots

Naomi Osaka shared a carousel of photos from New York, where she posed in the snow and also from her training gym as she prepares to return to the tour in a couple of weeks at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open, where she received a wildcard from the organisers. "A collection of curated photos 🍎❄️," posted the 4-time Grand Slam champion.

The Japanese player had been performing impressively at the Australian Open, defeating strong opponents like 2022 WTA Finals' Caroline Garcia and former French Open finalist Karolina Muchova (20th seed). In the third round, she faced Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic, but unfortunately, she had to retire

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Nadal posts golf photos in Spain

Rafael Nadal made his return to one of his passions, playing golf with the Team at the Rafa Nadal Academy. The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who retired just over two months ago, shared a series of photos having fun in the Spanish city, just hours after the Australian Open ended—the first Grand Slam since Nadal made his retirement official.

His last appearance at the Australian Open was in 2023, where he reached the second round and lost to American Mackenzie McDonald. The Spaniard won the title twice: in 2009 against Roger Federer and in 2022 against Daniil Medvedev. Despite his retirement, Nadal kept an eye on what was happening in Melbourne, sending his congratulations to Sinner after his title win with a message on his Instagram stories: “Congratulazioni Jan, Impressionante,” posted the 38-year-old former world No. 1.

Hurkacz shares Rallye Monte-Carlo moments with Terczinski

Hubert Hurkacz is enjoying a few days of rest as he prepares for his return to competition in a week at the Rotterdam Open. The Polish player took time to enjoy one of his passions by attending the Rallye Monte-Carlo alongside his compatriot Mateusz Terczyński, the Polish captain in the United Cup. French driver Sébastien Ogier of Toyota claimed his 10th victory in the traditional race, which has been held since 1911.

Hurkacz hopes to regain his top form in the 2025 season after dropping out of the top 10 at the end of last year. The former world No. 6 has teamed up with Ivan Lendl and Nicolás Massú as his coaching duo and is focused on competing at the highest level. Unfortunately, for the 27-year-old, he fell in the second round of the Australian Open to Miomir Kecmanovic.

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Sakkari shares training reel as she targets Linz Open return

Maria Sakkari has steadily fallen in the WTA Ranking over the past year, going from being one of the top contenders in major tournaments to barely staying within the top-30. The Greek player has struggled to make progress in major draws, failing to reach the Round of 16 in a Grand Slam since the Australian Open 2022. In fact, she has only three wins in her last eight Grand Slam appearances.

Nevertheless, Sakkari hopes to regain her confidence this year and is taking her work seriously in the hope of returning to her major-level form. The 29-year-old Greek player shared a reel of her training in the gym as she prepares for her comeback at the Linz Open this week, where she is the second seed behind Elina Svitolina. “Tag your workout buddy who is ready to crush this 👊” she posted.

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