Following their Australian Open title clash, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev will battle in the Miami Masters semi-final. Jannik Sinner became the first player with 20 victories in 2024 (20-1) following a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over the first-time Masters 1000 quarter-finalist Tomas Machac. The Australian Open champion played better behind the first and second serve, getting broken once from the only break chance offered to his rival and keeping the pressure on the other side. Machac dropped almost half of the points behind the initial shot, playing against 11 break points and suffering four breaks, enough to propel world no. 3 over the top. Tomas stayed in touch in the shortest exchanges up to four strokes.
Jannik Sinner, Miami 2024© Al Bello / Staff – Getty Images Sport
However, Jannik outplayed him in the more advanced ones, taming his strokes nicely and sailing over the top. The Czech netted a backhand in the first game of the encounter, offering the Italian two break chances. The ATP Race leader seized the first, building an early advantage. Sinner squandered a game point in game two and lost serve after netting a backhand, bringing his opponent back to the positive side of the scoreboard. Machac held at love in the third game before Sinner fired a service winner in the next one, holding at 15 and locking the result at 2-2. Tomas saved two break points in the fifth game and closed it after Jannik’s basic backhand error, surviving and moving 3-2 in front.
The Italian grabbed the sixth game with a service winner and made a strong push on the return in the next one. Machac squandered two game points and lost serve after a forehand error, propelling Sinner 4-3 in front. Jannik closed the eighth game after deuce, welcoming the rival’s backhand mistake and moving 5-3 ahead. The Czech prolonged the set with a volley winner in game nine before the Italian wrapped up the set with a hold at love at 5-4, landing a service winner and closing the opener after 52 minutes. Sinner produced four fine holds in the second set, and Machac could not follow that pace. Tomas denied two break points in the first game and forced Jannik’s error for a hold, avoiding an early setback.
Tomas Machac & Jannik Sinner, Miami 2024© Al Bello / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev will fight in the Miami semi-final.
Sinner closed the second game at love after a forehand crosscourt winner and created more chances on the return in game three. Tomas sprayed a forehand error on the second break point, losing serve and falling 2-1 behind. World no. 3 landed a forehand crosscourt winner in the fourth game, holding at love and cementing the advantage. Sinner grabbed another break in the fifth game after painting a backhand winner, extending the lead and moving closer to the finish line. World no. 3 grabbed the sixth game with a booming serve, opening a 5-1 gap and forcing his rival to serve to stay in the match. Machac held after deuce, reducing the deficit to 5-2 and having one more chance to extend the battle.
Daniil Medvedev, Miami 2024© Al Bello / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Instead, Jannik earned three match points on serve in the eighth game and seized the second with a service winner, moving into his seventh Masters 1000 semi-final and the third in Miami. Like Sinner, Daniil Medvedev has been the semi-finalist at all three notable events in 2024. The Russian notched his 14th Masters 1000 semi-final after a 6-2, 7-6 triumph over Nicolas Jarry in an hour and 41 minutes. It was a rock-solid performance from world no. 4, facing one break point in the closing stages of the second set but never losing serve. Jarry made a slow start and bounced back in the second set, standing two points away from taking it in the tie break but finishing on the losing side. Daniil hit more service winners and had the upper hand from the baseline.
Nicolas played more aggressive tennis, landing 25 winners and 32 unforced errors and doing fine at the net. Medvedev had the upper hand in the shortest and mid-range exchanges, taming his strokes nicely and remaining on the title defense course. Daniil found the rhythm behind the initial shot right from the start, serving well in the opener and keeping the pressure on the other side. They served well in the opening three games before Medvedev stepped in on the return at 2-1. Jarry denied two break points with winners before netting a backhand on the third, sending his rival 3-1 in front. Daniil cemented the break with a hold at love in game five after a service winner, forging a nice advantage after 19 minutes.
Daniil Medvedev, Miami 2024© Al Bello / Staff – Getty Images Sport
World no. 4 landed a smash winner in the seventh game, producing another fine hold and opening a 5-2 gap. Nicolas served to stay in the set in the eighth game and lost serve for the second time, propelling Daniil 6-2 in front. The Chilean raised his level behind the initial shot in the second set, staying in touch and locking the result at 5-5 with a fine hold in game ten. Jarry landed a volley winner in the 11th game, creating his only break chance of the match. Daniil denied it with a backhand winner at the net and held with a service winner for 6-5. The set went into a tie break, and Nicolas opened a 5-3 lead. Daniil claimed the next three points and earned a match point at 6-5. He missed a routine forehand, keeping his rival in contention. Jarry denied the second break point with a service winner, leveling the score at 7-7. The Chilean sprayed a backhand error in the 15th point, offering the Russian the third match point. Medvedev seized it with a service winner, sealing the deal and moving into the semi-final.
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