Jannik Sinner Edge Alexander Zverev In Hard-fought Clash To Reach Miami Open Final

 

Jannik Sinner maintained his match-set unbeaten run in an ATP Masters 1,000, reaching the final of the Miami Open by eliminating Alexander Zverev in the semi-final. 

Zverev gave his best, holding the world no. 2 to a tiebreak in the decider before he was beaten in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(4) in a match that lasted for one hour and 55 minutes. However, it was Jannik's second back-to-back win against the German this season. 

The Italian player broke in the opener, and it was not a one-sided set either. The second set was tense. In the tiebreak at 4-4, Zverev netted an overhead groundstroke, losing three match points to the second-seeded player. 

"Today was a very tough encounter," Jannik recalled. "He (Alexander Zverev) played some incredible tennis, but I was serving very well, especially in the end and in the crucial moments." 

Jannik extended his winning streak to a record 32 consecutive set wins in an ATP Masters 1,000 event, outperforming the previous record set for the feat by Novak Djokovic for 10 years. With the final match in hand, he stands to complete his Miami Open double after winning his first in 2024. 

"It is definitely a court that suits him very well, and how he plays tennis, " Jannik added. "He has a very flat-hitting forehand and backhand, serving very well. He's a very aggressive player."

The Italian player, who will now be a four-time finalist, won his maiden Miami Open Masters 1,000 event title in 2024, three seasons after his maiden final appearance at the event, which he lost to Hubert Hurkacz in 2021.