‘It feels unbelievable,’ Jannik Sinner reaches maiden ATP Masters 1000 final
Italian sensation Jannik Sinner took the next step in his promising young career as he advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Miami.
The 19-year-old recovered from a set down to beat experienced Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 5-7 6-4 6-4 and book his place in Sunday’s final.
The main difference between the pair was in the winners department, with the young Italian hitting more than three times the amount of winners compared to his opponent (37-12).
After losing the first set and tied 3-3 in the second, Sinner recovered from 0/40 down and saved four match points to keep himself in the match before sealing the set in the 10th game.
Sinner said: “If you’re 0/40 down, just try to keep fighting. That game changed the match.
“It was the same like Hurkacz and Tsitsipas, some points can decide the match and sometimes can give you a little bit more strength. I think it was important that game.”
The 19-year-old is just the fourth teenager to reach the Miami final in the tournament’s 36-year history, with only past and previous World No. 1s Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic previously achieving the feat.
🇮🇹 Jannik Sinner is the fourth teenager to reach the #MiamiOpen men's singles final. The previous three went on to become No. 1 in the @FedEx ATP Rankings.
🇺🇸 Andre Agassi (1990)
🇪🇸 Rafael Nadal (2005)
🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic (2007)— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 2, 2021
“Joining those names feels great obviously but, as I always say, I’m 19,” said Sinner.
“The road to have this big name is long. It’s not done in one week of tournament. It is a long process to get there.”
The Italian is through to his second ATP final of the year after picking up the title at the Great Ocean Road Open in February.
Sinner has also beaten the Spaniard in two three-set thrillers this month, having ousted Bautista Agut at the Dubai Open.
“It feels unbelievable,” Sinner said in his on-court interview.
“It’s always tough to play against Roberto. Two weeks ago we played in Dubai, we had a tough one there. Now, a tough one here. I’m very happy about reaching the final here in Miami.”
Jannik Sinner will now face 24-year-old Hubert Hurkacz in Sunday’s final, after the Pole upset both Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev in his last two encounters.
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