Sinner after his victory over Shelton: "It was a difficult first set, but crucial".

Jannik Sinner is in the Australian Open final for the second year running.

The 23-year-old Italian dominated Ben Shelton in three sets (7-6, 6-2, 6-2) and will defend his title from last year. To do so, he will have to overcome Alexander Zverev.

Ahead of Sunday's grand final, the Italian reflected on his success.

"It was a difficult first set, but also a crucial one. I sensed that he wasn't at his best on serve.

He certainly didn't get the percentage of first shots he would have liked. I think we were both better in return than on serve.

First sets are always important. They give you confidence for what's to come. There was a lot of tension for him and for me.

I'm very happy that I was able to manage the situation as best I could today. I had a few cramps, but Ben was also suffering physically, so I tried to make him run and be more aggressive.

These matches can last a long time. Playing three sets in 2h30 is a lot, so it's good to win without losing a set.

I'm delighted to be back in the final. We'll see what happens on Sunday," said Sinner after the match.