MIAMI – Jannik Sinner rolled past Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-2 on March 27 to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open, where he will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in a tantalising rematch of the Australian Open final.
Third seed Medvedev booked his place in the last four with a 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) win over Nicolas Jarry.
Sinner had to fight back from two sets down at Melbourne Park in January to beat Medvedev for his first Grand Slam title.
“It’s going to be a tactical match, potentially,” said second seed Sinner. “I have to be ready if he starts off in a similar way as in Australia.
“I have to be ready and trying to understand it before. Then maybe he’s going to change a couple of things. It’s going to be an interesting test for me.”
The opening set of the quarter-final played in humid conditions hinged on a Machac service game at 3-3, when the unseeded Czech’s forehand missed its target on break point to give Sinner a 4-3 lead.
The Italian wrapped up the set with a love hold when Machac was unable to put a second serve back in play.
In the second set, Machac’s forehand sailed long to give Sinner the break and a 2-1 lead. Sinner broke again with a backhand winner for 4-1 and closed out the contest with a serve out wide.
Despite the comfortable win, Sinner said Machac deserved praise for his energetic and aggressive performance.
“He has an incredible talent. He is super fast, also physically he is in great shape,” said the world No. 3 after his 20th win of 2024.
“I didn’t know exactly what to expect today. The first games I was looking a little bit at what kind of tactics could work or not.
“I played good, especially in the important moments... you see the score, but it’s sometimes lying. Today was a little bit like that.”
Sinner has lost only one match in 2024, falling in the semi-finals of Indian Wells to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Defending Miami champion Medvedev will represent another tricky test as the Russian has been in superb form, reaching the semis without dropping a set.
He was pushed hard in the second set of his encounter with Chilean Jarry but came through in the tiebreak, clinching it on his third match point.
“In the first set I feel like I was playing good level, but nothing extra and it was enough to win, so I was happy about it,” said Medvedev.
“Then he managed to play much better. It was tough rallies, tough points, he served better and yeah, it was a matter of a few points on the tiebreak like it is sometimes in tennis.”
The Russian appeared to enjoy the extra spice provided by the Chilean fans in the stadium.
“To be honest I was ready for it and I was expecting worse, when I say worse (I mean) more cheering fans supporting him,” he said.
“It was a pretty good atmosphere, you know even many times the referee was saying like players are ready.
“But I was like I don’t care, it’s actually not too bad, I’ve seen worse.”
Medvedev looked ahead to a great challenge against Sinner.
“I won the first two sets – which would be enough in Miami,” he quipped, in reference to the Australian Open final.
“But for sure this match is going to be different.
“I am sure he will adapt again and I am going to talk to my team and see what I can do better.
“I’m going to go out there, 100 per cent ready to win and to make his life tough...
“He’s playing better and better. He’s confident.
“Even some matches I watch on TV and he’s in a little trouble, he manages to find solutions and that’s what champions do.” AFP, REUTERS
