MIAMI — World No. 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy stretched his win streak over fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev to seven matches on Friday (Saturday in Manila), advancing to a Miami Open men’s final against Czech Jiri Lehecka.
The 24-year-old Italian fired 15 aces in beating Germany’s Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (4) after an hour and 53 minutes -- boosting his streak of consecutive sets won at the elite Masters 1000 level to 32.
Sinner is trying to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the “Sunshine Double” by winning titles at Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.
“Standing here again in a final means very much to me,” Sinner said. “We’ll try to push in a couple of days but in any case it has been an incredible swing.”
Reigning Wimbledon champion Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam winner, also beat Zverev two weeks ago in the Indian Wells semi-finals and seeks his second Miami crown in three years.
Also attempting a “Sunshine Double” is world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who defends her Miami crown against American fourth seed Coco Gauff in Saturday’s WTA final.
Lehecka, seeded 21st, dominated 28th-seeded Arthur Fils of France 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the L’s Miami Dolphins.
Lehecka is winless in three matches against Sinner without taking a set.
Sinner blasted a forehand winner to break Zverev for a 3-1 lead and held from there to capture the first set after 42 minutes on a service winner.
Neither player could manage a break into the second-set tie-breaker, which turned when Zverev sent an overhead smash long to hand Sinner a 5-4 lead.
Zverev, who last beat the Italian in the fourth round at the 2023 US Open, sent a backhand wide on the next point and Sinner settled matters with a service winner, improving to 8-4 all-time against the German.
Sinner seeks a 26th career ATP title in his 35th career final.