It will be a rematch of the 2023 Miami Open final when Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev meet again on Friday, this time in the semis. It’s also a rematch, of course, of this year’s Australian Open title tilt.
Last season’s Miami championship match was part of a streak in Medvedev’s favor. The Russian won their first six head-to-head encounters, a stretch that culminated in his 7-5, 6-3 triumph at this same Masters 1000 tournament. Sinner has since reeled off four victories in a row, highlighted by a 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 comeback at Melbourne Park.
Medvedev isn’t the only player who has been pretty much hopeless against Sinner in recent times. In fact, Carlos Alcaraz is the only opponent who has managed to win in the Italian’s last 24 matches. Only Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have managed to win in Sinner’s last 35 matches. Dating back to last fall the world No. 3 has won four titles (Beijing, Vienna, the Australian Open, and Rotterdam) while also leading Italy to Davis Cup glory. Sinner’s 2024 record stands at 20-1 following straight-set wins in Miami over Andrea Vavassori, Tallon Griekspoor, Christopher O’Connell, and Tomas Machac.
“He’s playing better and better,” Medvedev assured. “He’s confident. Even in some matches where you look on TV he may be a little bit in trouble but he manages to find solutions. That’s what champions do. It’s a great challenge for me to try to improve my game. It’s not going to be easy.”
The good news for Medvedev is that he is also playing great tennis and thrives in the relatively fast, low-bouncing conditions in Miami. He is 18-4 lifetime at this event with a title, two other quarterfinal finishes, and now a semifinal showing. Medvedev booked his spot in the final four alongside Sinner by beating Marton Fucsovics, Cameron Norrie, Dominik Koepfer, and Nicolas Jarry all in straight sets.
“It’s going to be a very tactical match potentially, because I have to be ready if he starts off in a similar way as in Australia,” Sinner noted. “I have to be ready…. Maybe he’s gonna change a couple of things.
“It’s going to be an interesting test for me. Hopefully I can show some good tennis, and that’s it. [Physically] I feel good. It’s going to be a very physical match in the next round. Let’s see what’s coming.”
It is true that Medvedev is the defending Miami champion after beating none other than Sinner in the 2023 final. That may be an advantage for the world No. 5, but it is mitigated by other factors: 1) this is not the same Sinner one year later; 2) Sinner appears to have every other edge–most notably current level of play and recent head-to-head history in the form of four consecutive wins.
This should be another fun chapter in the rivalry, but look for Sinner to make it five straight over Medvedev.
Pick: Sinner in 3
WWW?
Looks like a tight contest. Both are probably reaching the end of their run in terms of fitness.
Med in 3.
Medvedev still needs to learn that sometimes giving less quality is an advantage.
At this point, he’s playing straight into Sinner’s strengths.
Medvedev doesn’t have the weapons to out hit him so why play that game.
That’s better
That’s pathetic Medvedev; you’re suppose to be more experienced.
It was just a slugfest; it wasn’t even a tennis match.