Italy’s Jannick Sinner, 19, and Pole Hubert Hurkacz, 24, qualified for their first Masters 1000 final in Miami on Friday, where the “Next Gen” they represent imposed their tennis this week. in the absence of the circuit leaders.
Talented, offensive and persevering, Sinner, 31st in the world, defeated the formidable Spanish defender Roberto Bautista, 12th, 5-7 6-4 6-4. “We both played great tennis. It was not easy. There was a little wind. I am very happy with my performance, ”reacted warmly to the winner, who will be aiming for a third title on the ATP circuit on Sunday.
For his third participation in a tournament of this category, just below the Grand Slams, he joined Andre Agassi, crowned in 1990, Rafael Nadal, finalist in 2005, and Novak Djokovic, winner in 2007, among the youngest finalists in Miami. “It’s good to be in the final here, but that doesn’t mean anything. The road is very long, I want to improve day by day and we’ll see what happens, ”said Sinner, quarter-finalist last year at Roland Garros.
“Go far”
In the other half, Hurkacz (26th in the world) against Andrey Rublev, 8th in the world, had inherited the status of favorite after the eliminations of the first two seeds, the Russian Daniil Medvedev and the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, in the absence of the cadors Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. And he easily won 6-3 6-4.
At 24, he will try to add Miami to his list on Sunday, after Winston-Salem in 2019 and Delray Beach at the start of the year. Facing a player he has never faced before, but with whom he already plays … in doubles.
These two friends have also admitted having been well aware of the opportunity to seize this week in the absence of the “Big3”. With the same words: “We knew that we could go far”, confirmed Hurkacz, when Sinner assured to have “approached this tournament with the right state of mind, so as to … go very far”. Which of the two will go to the end? Answer Sunday.
(The essential / AFPE)
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