Jannik Sinner And Grigor Dimitrov Seek Second Masters Title, First In Miami

Today, someone takes home their second Masters title and first Miami Open trophy. The 96-draw men’s field has been reduced to just Jannik Sinner and Grigor Dimitrov.

Sinner was arguably the favorite to take the title coming in, and the Australian Open champion has continued his torrid stretch improving to 21-1 on the season en route to his third Miami final.

“It’s just to enjoy the moment, because it’s a great day, Sundays, for tennis players,” Sinner said. “If you’re still in tournament, it means that it’s the best day, an exciting day. So I’m just trying to, you know, enjoy this moment.

“For me, it’s the third time that I can play the final here in Miami, which is an amazing achievement for me personally, and then hopefully I can lift once the bigger trophy. If not, it was again a great result, a great opportunity, and that’s it.

“The first time I came here I made final, like, I couldn’t sleep the night. The second time, which was last year, I was relaxed because I went through periods of where I made already, you know, experiences.

“Now I’m a different player, different person. I will handle it hopefully a little bit better again. If I win, good. If not, it’s again a great result.”

While Sinner has been the hottest player this season, Dimitrov has arguably been the best in the 30 club. The Bulgarian won his first title in forever at the start of the year in Brisbane, and has played well since now reaching his second Masters final after winning his first way back at 2017 Cincinnati.

“It’s been difficult. I had very, very difficult match that I have lost and that I’m in a way still pissed about. But I kept on believing, kept on doing the work,” Dimitrov said Friday.

“I think the discipline brought me I think to that moment. There is nothing else. I didn’t kind of deviate from my target, not even my goal. I had small targets throughout — every single week I had a target, and also to be able to put my body through all that on a daily basis was also very important for me. Every single day when I wake up and I don’t have a big pain that would stop me to practice 100% was already a success for me.

“So when you start putting all that together, I think it’s where I’m most, in a way, most proud with. Of course competing against top players and beating them sort of back to back, it’s definitely what I’m the most happy with.”

The result so far for Dimitrov has got him back into the Top 10,

“If you do that, you get the ranking. If you do that, things are just getting better for you. But in order to do, it’s where it all comes through. The discipline, the hard work, you know, all the dedication, the adjustment to very different players throughout that time, I mean, you need to be able to do that on a constant basis,” Dimitrov said.

Sinner’s enjoyed the better draw having faced just one player in the Top 25 — that a win over Daniil Medvedev on Friday. Dimitrov has scored three Top 10 wins including two over former champions Carlos Alcaraz and Hubert Hurkacz, and then he knocked out 2018 finalist Zverev in his semifinal.

“For me, I think you miss one important thing for me is what’s better, above all that, I have been able to put those matches back to back. I think the consistency of beating top players, that to me is way bigger success than anything else.”

The two have met just three times with Sinner winning both last year.

“He’s very, very talented physically,” Sinner said of Dimitrov. “You know, really, really good shape. He has the talent to change things of up on a tennis court because of the way he plays. He can stand back, he can go close. He has very, very good hand skills. He can do whatever he wants.”