Two-week turnaround!: How Sinner mastered Alcaraz in Miami

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Jannik Sinner fell just short of lifting the trophy at the 2023 Miami Open presented by Itau, but not before the Italian delivered an important statement in his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz at Hard Rock Stadium.

Alcaraz and Sinner had spent much of the past two years establishing themselves as two of the brightest young talents on the ATP Tour. Yet while Alcaraz’s rise had taken him all the way to a maiden Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open and, with it, the achievement of becoming the youngest No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history, Sinner arrived in Miami as the World No. 11.

The Italian had demonstrated he could be consistent — he had at that point won one ATP 500 and seven ATP 250 crowns and reached the quarter-finals at all four Grand Slams — but he was still trying to establish himself as a regular title contender on the game’s biggest stages.

After not dropping a set across his first four matches in Miami, including a fourth-round win against Top 10 star Andrey Rublev, the 2021 finalist Sinner set a last-four clash with Alcaraz that doubled up as a chance for swift revenge. Just two weeks prior, Alcaraz had eased past the Italian in straight sets en route to the title at the BNP Paribas Open.

_{^{Jannik Sinner in action during his run to the final at the 2023 Miami Open presented by Itau. Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour}}

That meeting in Indian Wells, where Alcaraz went on to lift the trophy without dropping a set, ensured Alcaraz headed to Miami as a red-hot favourite to defend his 2022 title. Sinner nonetheless retained plenty of confidence as he prepared for the pair’s sixth Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I [am] happy to play against him again because I look forward to these kinds of matches,” Sinner said ahead of the match. “I feel like he makes me a better player. Here the court is fast. I think we both feel good here on these courts.”

When Alcaraz rallied from a break down to clinch an opening tie-break on Hard Rock Stadium, however, the Italian may have feared a case of Déjà vu. It was the fifth set in a row Alcaraz had won against Sinner, who soon found himself on the brink of defeat when he faced two break points at 3-4 in the second set.

Yet from there the Italian roared back to reenergise the contest in style. He won 19 of 21 points to snatch the second set and open up a 2-0 lead in the decider. In a match that saw both players play brave, attacking tennis throughout, Sinner did not blink again under the Miami lights, holding firm to register a famous 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 triumph in three hours and two minutes.

"It means a lot. We both played a very, very high level of tennis again. I just tried my best," reflected Sinner after advancing to his second Miami final. "In the third set I saw him struggle a little bit for a couple of games so I tried to push there... We both tried to play very aggressive tennis and today it went my way so I'm very happy."

With his Miami triumph, Sinner levelled his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Alcaraz at 3-3. Regardless of the result, the pair’s semi-final showdown was another reminder of how their young rivalry was becoming one of the most absorbing on the ATP Tour, both for the players and fans alike.

“I think when both players play tennis like this, it's also very nice to play,” reflected Sinner. “You can feel it, also with the crowd. I think that was a great energy with everything.

“It's just nice to be part of these kind of matches, firstly, and secondly, you feel like you have to change always something during the match. I think that was the case today.”

Perhaps the standout highlight from the semi-final was a breathtaking 25-ball rally when Sinner was serving at 4-2, 0/15 in the opening set. Both players showcased elite defensive skills to prolong the exchange but it was Sinner, under pressure as Alcaraz charged the net, who clipped a delightful backhand pass to send the crowd into raptures.

“It was an unbelievable point,” said Alcaraz later. “When I lost that point, the first thing that came to my mind is like, ‘He's unbeatable, this guy’. We played a great game, I think we were both at a great level. I broke his serve that game, if I remember well. But of course against Jannik there are always great points like this one.”

Sinner was ultimately denied the trophy after Daniil Medvedev prevailed 7-5, 6-3 in the final, but he returns to Miami this year as one of the men to beat on Tour. The World No. 3 started 2024 by winning his first 16 matches and, despite falling to a second straight Indian Wells semi-final defeat to Alcaraz last week, the 22-year-old has never been better placed to eclipse his rivals at Hard Rock Stadium.