Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to win the Miami Open and complete the ‘Sunshine Double’.
The Italian beat Lehecka in straight sets to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to win both Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Sinner also became 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 man to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’. Novak Djokovic and Federer have achieved the feat multiple times.
Eight men who have completed the Sunshine Double at least once are: 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).
“Doing the Double for the first time is incredible,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “It’s something I never thought I would achieve because it’s so difficult. We somehow made it happen, so I’m very happy.”
Sinner also extended his run to 34 consecutive sets won at the ATP Masters 1000 level, dating back to last year’s Paris Masters. He improved to 19-2 this season, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.
On Saturday, Aryna Sabalenka completed the ‘Sunshine Double’. Following Sinner’s triumph, it marked only the fourth time that an ATP and a WTA player have completed the Sunshine Double in the same year.
The first instance came in 1994, when Sampras and Steffi Graf won both Indian Wells and Miami. In 2005, Federer and Kim Clijsters achieved the same feat, while in 2016, Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka also 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 an impressive month.
Lehecka, 24, was competing in his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final and is set to reach a career-high No. 14 in Monday’s ATP Rankings.
— IANS
