Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz lost 7:6, 4:6, 2:6 to Italian Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the tournament in Miami and will lose the first place in the rankings, to which Serbian Novak Djokovic will return after two weeks.
The 19-year-old Alcaraz came to the top of the ATP Tour rankings two weeks ago after his triumph in Indian Wells, and with Friday’s defeat he lost the chance to defend last year’s title in Florida and the so-called Sunshine Double.
The 2021 Miami Open finalist Sinner will face Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Karen Khachanov in three sets in the Russian semifinals, for the most valuable title of his career on Sunday. The former world number one is in the final for the fifth tournament in a row, having defeated Sinner in all five head-to-head matches.
Djokovic did not start in Indian Wells or Miami because he did not get an exemption from the vaccination against the coronavirus, which is still mandatory for foreigners to enter the USA.
Miami Men’s and Women’s Tennis Tournament (Hard Court):
Men ($10.2 million endowment):
Singles – Semifinals: Sinner (10-It.) – Alcaraz (1-Sp.) 6:7 (4:7), 6:4, 6:2.
