Jannik Sinner defeats Jiri Lehecka to win Miami Open and complete Sunshine Double
Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to win the Miami Open and complete the Sunshine Double, becoming the first male player since Federer in 2017 to win both Indian Wells and Miami in the same season
Miami: Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to win the Miami Open and complete the ‘Sunshine Double’.
The Italian beat Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 in the final to become the first male player since Roger Federer in 2017 to win Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Sinner is also the first player to achieve the feat without dropping a set across both events.
The 24-year-old won Indian Wells for the first time in his career and became the eighth different male player to complete the Sunshine Double. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have achieved the feat multiple times.
The eight men who have completed the Sunshine Double at least once are: Jim Courier (1991), Michael Chang (1992), Pete Sampras (1994), Marcelo Rios (1998), Andre Agassi (2001), Roger Federer (2005-06), Novak Djokovic (2011, 2014-16), and Jannik Sinner (2026).
“Double for the first time, it’s incredible,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “It’s something I never would’ve thought to win because it’s difficult to achieve. We made it somehow, so I’m very happy.”
Sinner also extended his record to 34 consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 level, dating back to the start of last year’s Paris Masters. He improved to 19-2 this season, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.
On Saturday, Aryna Sabalenka completed the Sunshine Double on the WTA Tour. After Sinner’s triumph, it marked the fourth time that an ATP player and a WTA player have completed the Sunshine Double in the same year.
The first occurrence was in 1994, when Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf each won Indian Wells and Miami. In 2005, Federer and Kim Clijsters won both events, while in 2016 Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka achieved Sunshine Double glory.
A seven-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, Sinner now trails World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz by 1,190 points in the ATP Live Rankings after a dominant month.
Lehecka, 24, was competing in his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final. The Czech is set to reach a career-high No. 14 in Monday’s ATP Rankings.
