Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami. The Italian, number 2 on the scoreboard, beats the Czech Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-2 in 1h32′. In the semi-final, the South Tyrolean awaits the winner of the match between the Russian Daniil Medvedev, seeded number 3, and the Chilean Nicolas Jarry, 22nd player in the Miami draw.
Sinner, who is preparing to play the fourth semi-final in a so far sensational 2024, beats Machac with a ‘normal’ but solid performance. The blue does not offer memorable numbers on serve (around 60% of first balls) but constantly commands the rallies: very few gratuitous errors (just 3) force Machac to often take risks to win the point. Sinner doesn’t pay the price for the counterbreak given at the start of the first set, it breaks the balance when he accelerates and travels on autopilot towards the finish line. Mission accomplished and third semi-final in Miami in the career of the world number 3.
The match
Sinner comes out of the blocks fired: ready, go and the blue scores the break in the first game. The immediate extension, however, is a flash in the pan. The South Tyrolean is still running in and immediately returns the favor, giving up serve with a double fault (1-1). The set heats up in the fifth game (2-2), when Machac has to cancel 2 break points to stay afloat. Sinner tries the attack again in the seventh game and this time breaks through after 2 more break points and a mini-marathon of 12 points which the Czech loses due to a sequence of gratuitous errors. Sinner does his duty, holds serve in the next 2 rounds of service and closes the first set 6-4with a game to nil, after 52′.
Machac’s resistance in the second set crumbles in the third game. Sinner doesn’t materialize the first break point offered by a double fault from his rival but he gets and materializes the second chance with a couple of accelerations that break through: 2-1 for the number 3 in the world and a downhill match. The blue holds serve to zero in the fourth game (3-1) and then virtually closes the score: another break (4-1) and a decisive push to the match, which ends with the score of 6-2.