Jannik Sinner record. The Italian champion beats Alexander Zverev, without losing another set, and reaches the final of the Miami Masters 1000. The world number 2 won 6-3 7-6 (4) against the German who from Monday will return to number 3 in the ATP ranking.
On Sunday, almost at the same time as his friend Kimi Antonelli who took pole for the Japanese F1 GP, Sinner will face Jiri Lehecka who beat the American Arthur Fils 6-2 6-2.
The Czech, ranked 22nd in the world, has never won against the Italian. The world number two outlasted Zverev in one hour and 53 minutes, securing his seventh consecutive victory in their head-to-head match. He broke serve in the fourth game of the first set and held the lead until 6-3. The second set was more evenly matched, decided in a tiebreak: at 4-4, Zverev's error was sealed by the Italian with an ace. The head-to-head record rises to 8-4 for Sinner.
The 24-year-old South Tyrolean thus reaches his thirty-fifth ATP final and is now aiming for his 26th career title and his second victory on the Miami hard court in three years. Sinner extends his streak of consecutive sets won in Masters 1000 tournaments to 32.
The Italian, already victorious at Indian Wells two weeks ago, is aiming for the "Sunshine Double," a feat last achieved by Roger Federer in 2017. "It was a very tough match, Zverev played incredible tennis. I served very well at the end, especially in the crucial moments. I'm very happy, this final means a lot to me," the Italian said in an on-court interview after his victory over Zverev.
Now the challenge against Jiri Lehecka: "He's an incredible player. He's proven it not only here but throughout his career. In the final, he'll definitely play more freely than me," he explains. "I'll try to control everything I can, then we'll see how it goes." "Indian Wells and Miami seem like two completely different tournaments to me, with different conditions," the Italian concluded. "Getting here trying to play good tennis was my main goal, and to be in the final again really means a lot to me. Obviously, we'll try to push for a couple more days, but it was an incredible swing anyway. I couldn't have done better. So I'm very happy."
Good news for the blue colours also from Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini who reached their first final at the Miami Open. The two Italians defeated the pair of Belgian Elise Mertens and Chinese Shuai Zhang in the semifinals, who retired. Paolini and Errani played just three games when Mertens developed chest problems and sought medical attention.
In the final, Errani and Paolini will face the top-seeded pair of Czech Katerina Siniakova and American Taylor Townsend (no. 2 and no. 7 in doubles), who came from behind to defeat Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazilian Luisa Stefani (no. 3 and no. 10) 4-6, 6-4, 10-3 in the semifinals. They have already qualified for the men's doubles final. Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori: will face Finland's Harri Heliovaara and Britain's Henry Patten.
