MIAMI: Jannik Sinner put on a scintillating display in his opening match at the Miami Open on Saturday, hammering Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3 as he looks to complete the coveted “Sunshine Double” after his triumph in Indian Wells last weekend.
Sinner did not play at Indian Wells or Miami last year while serving a three-month suspension following a settlement over a doping violation.
If he lifts the trophy in South Florida next weekend, he would become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to win the two US hard court tournaments in the same year.
Second seed Sinner dominated world number 76 Dzumhur with his pinpoint serves and blistering groundstrokes, winning 14 of 17 points when he went to the net.
Saturday’s win was Sinner’s 12th in a row at a Masters 1000 tournament dating back to his victory at the Paris Masters last year.
The 24-year-old has now won 24 consecutive sets at the Masters 1000 level, tying a record held by Novak Djokovic.
Sinner will have a chance to break that record against Frenchman Corentin Moutet on Monday.
Meanwhile, defending champion Jakub Mensik shook off a “horrible” first set to win his opening match. Mensik, who fell in the third round at Indian Wells, was feeling the after-effects of illness as well as the pressure of defending his title in a rocky first set but righted the ship to beat Australian Adam Walton 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
After surrendering his serve twice in the first set Mensik regrouped to break Walton in the opening game of the second set on the way to forcing a third and with a break in hand for a 3-1 lead rolled home.
Daniil Medvedev also had a shaky start but managed to eke out a 6-7(10/12), 6-3, 6-1 victory over 19-year-old Japanese wildcard Rei Sakamoto.
Fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev cruised into the third round with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over 133rd-ranked American Martin Damm.
But eighth-seeded home hope Ben Shelton was ousted by Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko 6-7(3/7), 7-6(7/3), 6-3.
In the women’s section, Fourth-seeded Coco Gauff led the way into the women’s fourth round, roaring back for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over fellow American Alycia Parks. Teenagers Mirra Andreeva and Victoria Mboko booked a last-16 meeting that will be their third clash of the WTA season.
Eighth-seeded Russian Andreeva defeated Czech Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, while 10th-seeded Canadian Mboko downed Russian qualifier Anastasia Zakharova 6-1, 7-5.
Alexandra Eala reached the last 16 with a 6-3, 7-6(7/2) victory over Poland’s Magda Linette — who had toppled third-ranked compatriot Iga Swiatek in the second round.
Women’s second-round play wrapped up as the rain-hit tournament got back on schedule.
Fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula, runner up to Aryna Sabalenka last year, advanced when ailing British opponent Francesca Jones retired while trailing 6-1, 3-0 in their match.
Australian qualifier Talia Gibson — coming off an impressive quarter-final run in Indian wells — took down four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka of Japan 7-5, 6-4.
On Friday, Britain’s Jack Draper suffered a surprise defeat to American Reilly Opelka, while Ethan Quinn claimed the biggest win of his career by upsetting 11th seed Casper Ruud.
Opelka produced a dominant serving display to beat 25th seed Draper 7-6(7/3), 7-6(7/0), firing 25 aces and 47 winners to reach the third round on home soil.
Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, a former world number six, also clinched a surprise 6-4 6-4 win over 10th seed Alexander Bublik while top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz recorded straight-set wins to advance.
World number two Elena Rybakina and sixth seed Amanda Anisimova were also among the winners.
Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2026
