Sinner outlasts Zverev to reach Miami final and stand one win from history
Jannik Sinner is one win from history. He beat Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4) for his seventh consecutive victory over the German, reached his 11th Masters final and stands on the verge of completing the Sunshine Double without losing a single set — something no player, man or woman, has ever done.
Jannik Sinner, Miami 2026 | © Imago / PsNewz
Italian seed No. 2 Jannik Sinner defeated German seed No. 3 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4) in the semi-finals of the Miami Open on Friday night to reach his fourth Miami final and his 11th Masters 1000 final overall, moving one win away from completing the Sunshine Double without dropping a single set — a feat no man or woman has ever achieved.
The win was Sinner’s seventh consecutive over Zverev and his 11th in a row at this tournament. He extended his consecutive sets won record at Masters 1000 level to 32, and has now won 33 of his last 35 matches. He reached ten hard-court Masters 1000 finals in just 26 main draw appearances — faster than anyone in the Open Era except Andre Agassi, who needed 25.
Sinner also became the first man in history to reach three or more consecutive Masters 1000 finals without dropping a set throughout.
“Today was a very tough encounter,” Sinner said after the match. “He played some incredible tennis. I was serving very well in the end, especially in crucial moments. Standing again in the final means very much to me.”
The match was decided by the finest of margins. Sinner won only four more points than Zverev. He broke early in the first set, leading 2-1, and served it out with composure. The second was tighter – Zverev pushed it to a tiebreak before Sinner closed it out 7-4, his serve doing the decisive work at the moments that mattered most.
I felt like it was a very high quality match from both of us. So, just couple of points made the difference.
“I felt like it was a very high quality match from both of us. So, just couple of points made the difference”, Sinner said. “What made the difference today? I served very well at the end, which helped me. So, I’m very happy about today’s performance.”
On facing Czech seed No. 21 Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final – a player who has not dropped a service game across four matches this week – Sinner was measured. “He’s an incredible player. He’s going to be more free than me. I try to control whatever I can control. He doesn’t have anything to lose. I’m in a different position, but I will give the best I have.” He leads Lehecka 3-0 in their head-to-head.
Zverev leaves Miami with his 2026 season following a pattern that is both impressive and frustrating in equal measure. He has reached the semi-finals at every major event he has played this year – the Australian Open, where he served for the match against Alcaraz before losing, Indian Wells, where Sinner beat him 6-2, 6-4, and now here.
Three Grand Slam or Masters 1000, three semi-finals, three defeats to the two players above him in the hierarchy. Zverev reached the semi-finals after beating Argentinian seed No. 18 Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 6-2, Frenchman Quentin Halys 7-6(4), 7-6(1), Croatian Marin Cilic 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 and American Martin Damm 6-2, 6-4.
