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Jannik Sinner Clinches Second ATP Miami Masters Title, Completes 'Sunshine Double'

World number two Jannik Sinner triumphed over Jiri Lehecka with a score of 6-4, 6-4 to secure his second ATP Miami Masters 1000 title on Sunday, adding this victory to his Indian Wells title.

Sinner endured rain delays before and during the match, ultimately completing his "Sunshine Double." He became the first man to win both elite hard court tournaments in California and Florida since Roger Federer in 2017 and did so without losing a set.

Having won Miami in 2024 after missing last year due to a three-month doping ban, Sinner has now claimed three consecutive Masters 1000 titles, starting with a win in Paris last year.

"It's a very, very special moment," Sinner expressed. "Performing well here again after Indian Wells means a lot to me."

"I never thought I would achieve this; it’s a difficult feat," he added.

Sinner's victory, along with Aryna Sabalenka's win over Coco Gauff on Saturday, marks the first time both the men's and women's titles were swept at Indian Wells and Miami since Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka achieved it in 2016.

This victory also narrows the gap between Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the race for the world number one ranking as the clay court season approaches.

Early rain caused over an hour's delay before the match commenced. Sinner had just secured the first set when rain interrupted play again for 90 minutes.

However, this did not deter Sinner, who served 10 aces and won 33 of 36 points when he successfully landed his first serve.

His returning game was also impressive, as he broke 22nd-ranked Czech Lehecka's serve for the first time in the tournament, taking a 2-1 lead in the opening set.

After trailing 0-40 in the next game, Sinner fired three service winners and two aces to hold serve.

"I tried to stay focused," Sinner said. "I needed to understand why I missed my first serves earlier. The conditions were very different at the beginning ... the balls were quite heavy. I missed a few first serves into the net because of that."

'Very precise'

He acknowledged that Lehecka's aggressive return game posed a challenge.

"You have to hit very precisely. If not, he can take advantage," Sinner stated.

He maintained his lead and earned a first set point in the ninth game with a powerful cross-court forehand service return winner.

Lehecka saved that set point with a service winner and another with a volley, eventually holding serve on his sixth game point before Sinner clinched the set with a love game.

Lehecka fended off five more break points before Sinner seized the only break of the second set for a 5-4 lead, as the Czech player made an error with a loose forehand.

Sinner did not face any break points in the second set and reached match point with a forehand volley winner. Although he initially thought he had won on a serve called a let, he finished the match with another net winner.

While Lehecka, competing in his first Masters 1000 final, could not join compatriot Jakub Mensik as a Miami champion, he is set to achieve a career-high ranking of 14th in the world on Monday.

"I arrived here in poor form, but I was able to return to the level of tennis I want to play," Lehecka remarked during the trophy ceremony.