Get Rid Of Medvedev, Sinner Advances To Miami Open Final

Jannik Sinner. (ANTARA/AFP/Getty Images/Matthew Stockman)

JAKARTA - It didn't take long for Italian Jannik Sinner to beat Daniil Medvedev 6-1, 6-2 in just 69 minutes, Friday local time or Saturday WIB, to reach the Miami Open final.

World number three Sinner will face German Alexander Zverev or Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov in the final, and will obviously be favorites after showing his strengths and skills in the semifinals.

The Italian lost to Medvedev in last year's Miami Open final but beat him in the Australian Open final in January.

The result this time was unquestionable as Sinner really dominated from the start.

Sinner broke Medvedev's first game service to take a 2-0 lead in the opening set, pressing the Russian at the end of a long rally before scoring a winner to get through it.

While the 22-year-old looked fresh and excited with the strength of the baseline and creative blow when he was in front of the net, Medvedev struggled to maintain his service.

Medvedev, who looked confused, was finally able to survive in the sixth game, but Sinner with his service completed the first set in just 33 minutes.

The same story happened in the second set. Medvedev looked sad after his shot went wide at the break point until he was 4-1 behind, one of the bad hits the 28-year-old took.

Sinner admits that his dominant victory was helped by his unusual opponent's game.

"I feel amazing on the pitch today. Usually the more you appear in a tournament, the more comfortable you will be and I am very happy with today's performance," said Sinner, as broadcast by AFP, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, March 30.

"I don't think Daniel felt this good today. He made a lot of mistakes he usually doesn't make, so I just took that opportunity. I expect a very difficult match," he added.

Sinner has won five games in a row against Medvedev after losing their first six meetings -- the last to take place in the Miami final last year.

Sinner, who enjoyed 19 wins before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals at Indian Wells, said he now has a very different character than when he failed in last year's Miami Open final.

"I'm a different player, a different person," said Sinner.

"Sometimes, I think back and remember the night before the final. I couldn't sleep, I sweat at night and now I'm handling the situation much better."

"I am very excited and happy to come back and hopefully I can play a good game on Sunday," he concluded.