Two outsiders are playing for the first Masters 1000 tennis title in 2021. After teenager Jannik Sinner from South Tyrol, Hubert Hurkacz moved into the Miami final on Friday (local time). The Pole, seeded as number 26, defeated fourth-lined Andrej Rublew 6: 3,6: 4. So none of the top ten players took the chance that the top stars Novak Djokovic (SRB), Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Roger Federer (SUI), but also the Lower Austrian Dominic Thiem, had not competed.
Favorite Rublew didn’t find his game this time. “That wasn’t my day, but it was a great week for me,” said the Russian after missing his first Masters final. Hurkacz has now achieved that, as has Sinner, who had previously remained victorious against Roberto Bautista (ESP) 5: 7.6: 4.6: 4. The two finalists competed in doubles together before the Australian Open in Melbourne and in Dubai in mid-March. “It’s going to be a fun match,” said Hurkacz.
The 24-year-old eliminated Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals and is on a wave of success. Should he win his third ATP title in Florida, he would make it into the top 20 in the world rankings in 16th place for the first time. If he lost, he would be 25th, three positions better than his previous career high. Sinner has never been in the top 30, if he lost he would be 22. Should the 19-year-old win his third ATP title, he would move up to 14th place.
(WHAT) / Bild: Imago
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