World number two Jannik Sinner advanced to the Miami Open men’s final after defeating fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in a thrilling semifinal clash at Hard Rock Stadium.
The 24-year-old Italian extended his winning streak over Zverev to seven matches and boosted his run of consecutive sets won at Masters 1000 events to 32.
Sinner fired 15 aces and showed composure in crucial moments, sealing the victory in one hour and 53 minutes. He now aims to complete the prestigious “Sunshine Double,” a feat last achieved by Roger Federer in 2017, by winning both Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.
“Standing here again in a final means very much to me,” Sinner said after the match. “I was serving very well, especially in the crucial moments, so I’m very happy.”
The reigning Wimbledon champion, who already owns four Grand Slam titles, seeks his second Miami crown in three years. He will face Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the final. Lehecka, seeded 21st, dominated Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal.
Lehecka has never won a set against Sinner in their three previous meetings, but enters the final with confidence after reaching his first Masters 1000 final. He is guaranteed to rise to a career-high ranking of 14th and could climb to 12th with a title.
Sinner, chasing his 26th career ATP title in his 35th final, acknowledged Lehecka’s progress. “He’s an incredible player. He’s going to be more free than me, but I’ll try to control what I can,” he said.
