Miami, March 30 (IANS) Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to win the Miami Open and complete the ‘Sunshine Double’.
The Italian defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 in the final to become the first male since Roger Federer in 2017 to win Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Moreover, Sinner is the first player to achieve the feat without dropping a set across the two events.
The 24-year-old won Indian Wells for the first time in his career and became the eighth different male player to win the ‘Sunshine Double’. Novak Djokovic and Federer have completed the feat on multiple occasions.
Eigth different men who have completed the Sunshine Double at least once: Jim Courier (1991), Michael Chang (1992), Pete Sampras (1994), Marcelo Rios (1998), Andre Agassi (2001), Roger Federer (2005-06) and Novak Djokovic (2011, 2014-16).
Double for the first time, it’s incredible,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “It’s something I never would’ve thought [to win] because it’s difficult to achieve. We made it somehow, so I’m very happy.”
Sinner also extended his record to 34 consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 level, dating back to the start of last year’s Paris Masters. He improved to 19-2 this season, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.
On Sturday, Aryna Sabalenka completed the ‘Sunshine Double’. After Sinner’s triumph, it marked the fourth time that an ATP player and a WTA player have completed the Sunshine Double in the same year.
The first time it happened was in 1994, when Sampras and Steffi Graf each triumphed in Indian Wells and Miami. In 2005, Federer and Kim Clijsters each won both events, while in 2016 Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka both secured Sunshine Double glory.
A seven-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, Sinner now trails World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz by 1,190 points in the ATP Live Rankings after making a statement this month.
Lehecka, 24, was competing in his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final. The Czech is set for a new career-high No. 14 in Monday’s ATP Rankings.
–IANS
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