MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jannik Sinner is starting to dominate.
Sinner overwhelmed third-seeded Daniil Medvedev 6-1, 6-2 on Friday in the semifinals of the Miami Open to improve to 21-1 this year. His only loss was to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final.
The second-seeded Sinner, rock-solid with his firecracker forehand, became the first man to reach back-to-back Miami Open finals since John Isner did it in 2019. In last year’s Miami final, Medvedev prevailed over Sinner at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins.
This time, Medvedev’s three games tied his career low for wins in a match. He committed 22 unforced errors.
“I’m happy about this season — who wouldn’t be happy?” Sinner said. “I know the players will get to know me more and study me, so I have to be ready.”
Sinner, 22, began his revenge against Medvedev for last year’s Miami final by beating him in the Australian Open final in January — rallying from two sets down — and setting the stage for a wonderful 2024 campaign.
Sinner posted his fifth straight win over Medvedev, all in the past 12 months.
“He’s serving 10 times better,” Medvedev said. “He always served well but now he serves big, big.”
This match was a lot easier than Australia in the 80-degree South Florida heat as the Italian jumped to a 5-0 lead at the outset in posting two straight breaks of the Russian’s serve. It was over in 69 minutes.
Sinner will play in the final Sunday against the winner of the second semifinal between No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev and 11th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.
Sinner, who said his serve has improved because he’s gotten stronger, broke Medvedev four times, didn’t get broken, had seven aces and won 80% of his first serves.
“This year, I have another chance,” Sinner said in the on-court interview. “I don’t think he played his best tennis and I tried to stay focused and in my rhythm.”
In the match’s second game, Sinner hit a cross-court forehand winner on a third break point for a 2-0 lead. Medvedev motioned a thumbs down at his player’s box.
The Italian went up 4-0 after cashing in on his fourth break point of the game, flicking away a short ball by Medvedev, who was flustered by two net cords during the game.
Sinner broke Medvedev in the first game of the second set and was on his way. Late in the second set, down 5-1, Medvedev heard jeers and whistles when he appeared to frustratingly hit a ball back to a ball girl with extra zest.
Sinner said the rout was “one of the best matches in how I handled everything.”
“It’s a great feeling,” he said.
On the night card, Zverev goes in with a 7-1 lead over Dimitrov in the head-to-head series, with Dimitrov’s lone victory in 2014.
Dimitrov beat No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. The 20-year-old Spaniard said of Dimitrov afterward, “He played amazing tennis, almost perfect. I couldn’t find solutions.”
The women’s final is set for Saturday when American Danielle Collins faces No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina.