M 1000 MIAMI OPEN FINAL. by Emiliano Naftali
Daniil Medvedev won his fourth ATP title of the year Sunday, beating Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-3 after the 1-hour, 34-minute triumph. Medvedev’s four tour-level titles this season match his career-best mark from both 2019 and 2021.
Medvedev is now the most sizzling player on the men’s tour, winning 24 of his past 25 matches His only loss has come against top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final.
«It’s kind of the same,» Medvedev said. «It’s the best start to a season I’ve ever had. It’s been amazing amount of [ATP points] won. I’m super happy.»
Sinner was visited by an ATP trainer midway through the first set Sunday. During the changeover at 4-3, Sinner received a packet of salt that he dumped into a water bottle to drink. «Woke up this morning not at my best — a little bit sick,» Sinner said during the postmatch ceremony, acknowledging that the crowd was behind him. «Thanks for the support. You gave me a lot of energy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t play at my best.’
«We tried to go out on the court, trying to give it a try,» Sinner said. «Unfortunately, today wasn’t my day, but I don’t want to take nothing away from Daniil. He was serving incredible. He was very brave with the way he played. He’s one of the best players in the world.»
After falling to Carlos Alcaraz two weeks ago in the Indian Wells final, the fourth seed was rock-solid against Sinner as he frustrated the Italian with his calculated baseline game. Medvedev is now 6-0 in his ATP Head2Head against Sinner.
«I’m really happy. Today was a tough match. It was probably the hottest day and the most humid during the day,» Medvedev said after winning his fifth ATP Masters 1000 title and 19th career tour-level crown. «It was not easy conditions. I don’t know if Jannik had a small injury or cramp. I was also struggling, tried not to show it.
«I haven’t won’t such a big title in probably a year and a half,» he added, not having tasted Masters 1000 glory since he won Toronto in 2021. «At the end I was quite shaky. Not even tight, because I’m not scared to win. But still the hands get a little shaky so the serve is a little bit tougher.I managed to get myself together and close the match.»
Medvedev has now won five of the six hard-court ATP Masters 1000s and reached the final in the other (Indian Wells).
Photo @Nextennis Gabriel Matteazzi 
