Jannik Sinner Beats Lehecka to Seal Miami Open Crown

Miami:Jannik Sinner made history by completing the coveted ‘Sunshine Double’ in a dominant manner at the Miami Open. The Italian player beat Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 in the hard court final, becoming the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to sweep both Indian Wells and Miami in the same season, and the first man to achieve this feat without losing a single set in two tournaments. Sinner extended his winning streak at ATP Masters 1000 level, which started at last year’s Paris Masters, to 34 consecutive sets and improved his season record to an impressive 19-2. “It means a lot to me. [Winning] This is my first time seeing Sunshine Double, it’s incredible. This is something I would never think of [to win] because this is difficult to achieve. Somehow we managed to do it, so I’m very happy,” Sinner said after winning the match, according to the ATP Tour website.

Following a 90-minute rain delay, Sinner wasted little time in taking control and quickly made headway against Jiri Lehecka, who reached the final without a break for two weeks, saving all nine break points he faced in five matches. The Italian, a 26-time tour-level champion, added to the relentless pressure with an early break in the Czech Republic’s second service game, creating 11 break point opportunities throughout the match. Lehecka tried to mount a response in Sinner’s next service game, going 0/40 ahead, but the Italian showed his composure under pressure, hitting five consecutive first serves to escape unscathed. Throughout the hour, 33-minute contest, Sinner dominated proceedings in forehand-to-forehand exchanges, consistently forcing Lehecka to hit above shoulder height on that wing. Although the Czech attempted to appear proactive by closing in on the net and winning an impressive 13 of his 19 points, he ultimately proved inadequate against a clinical and near flawless Sinner. Sinner currently sits 1,190 points behind World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP Rankings.