The Japan Times - Sinner ousts Zverev to book Miami Open final with Lehecka

The 24-year-old Italian boosted his streak of consecutive sets won at the elite Masters 1000 level to 32 in beating Germany's Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) after an hour and 53 minutes.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam winner, also beat Zverev two weeks ago in the Indian Wells semifinals and seeks his second Miami crown in three years.

Sinner is trying to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the "Sunshine Double" by winning titles at Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.

Also attempting a "Sunshine Double" is world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who defends her Miami crown against American fourth seed Coco Gauff in Saturday's WTA final.

Lehecka, seeded 21st, dominated 28th-seeded Arthur Fils of France 6-2, 6-2 in the other semi-final at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Lehecka is winless in three matches against Sinner without taking a set.

Sinner blasted a forehand winner to break Zverev for a 3-1 lead and held from there to capture the first set after 42 minutes on a service winner.

Neither player could manage a break into the second-set tie-breaker, which turned when Zverev sent an overhead smash long to hand Sinner a 5-4 lead.

Zverev, who last beat the Italian in the fourth round at the 2023 US Open, sent a backhand wide on the next point and Sinner settled matters with a service winner, improving to 8-4 all-time against the German.

Sinner seeks a 26th career ATP title in his 35th career final.

Lehecka, who has not dropped a set in the event, delivered the Frenchman's first four broken service games to advance after 75 minutes.

"It feels great. It's definitely something I've been working towards the whole year and the whole pre-season," Lehecka said.

"I really trusted my game and the work I put in. It didn't matter when, but I knew it would come and today was a nice example of how I want to play. I executed it well so I'm very happy with today's performance."

- Career-high ranking -

Lehecka didn't face a break point and broke Fils for the first time in the tournament in the opening game of the match when the Frenchman netted a forehand.

He also broke Fils in the penultimate game of each set and held in the next game each time to secure a spot in his first ATP Masters 1000 level final.

Lehecka will jump past his current career high ranking of 16th next week. He's assured of leaping eight spots to 14th and with a title would reach 12th.

The 24-year-old seeks his third ATP title after Adelaide in 2024 and Brisbane in 2025. It's the eighth career final for the Czech but his first at the Masters 1000 level.

"I'm very excited that I'm in a final. It was definitely one of my goals," Lehecka said. "I'm just trying to do what I do best, and I definitely enjoy being on a court like this. So I'm trying to live in the present and we will see how it goes on Sunday."

It was the first Masters 1000-level semi-final for Fils and just the second for Lehecka after 2024 at Madrid, when he retired due to a back injury that sidelined him for more than three months.

T.Ikeda--JT