World No. 2 Jannik Sinner continued his pursuit of the “Sunshine Double” by winning his opening match over Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday at the Miami Open in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Italian, coming off a victory at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., needed only 71 minutes to dispatch Dzumhur, ranked No. 76, from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sinner, a 25-time winner on the ATP Tour, can be the first player to win the consecutive California and Florida tournaments — the “Sunshine Double” — since Roger Federer in 2017.
A winner of 12 straight matches at ATP Masters 1000 events, Sinner also has tied Novak Djokovic’s record with 24 consecutive sets won at that level.
“I feel like the scoreboard matters at times,” Sinner said of the latter streak. “For me, I try to improve as a player and put myself in the position to play as many matches as possible. I always treat every opponent in the same way, trying to come on court and do my best with a great attitude and trying to go for it.”
Sinner, who won the Miami Open in 2024, had a distinct edge in aces (9-1) and winners (21-8), though each had 18 unforced errors. The Italian won 90% of his first serves (26 of 29), to 62% (23 of 37) for Dzumhur, who saved six of nine break points — to 1-for-1 for Sinner.
Third-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany handled American wild card Martin Damm 6-2, 6-4 in just under 70 minutes.
Zverev did not face a break point and converted three of eight opportunities. Damm was undermined by more double faults (6-0) and unforced errors (22-8) and fewer winners (16-12).
Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko knocked off eighth-seeded Ben Shelton 6-7 (3) 7-6 (3), 6-3 in a battle lasting two hours, 22 minutes.
The power-serving Shelton had 17 aces but also 44 unforced errors. Shevchenko had fewer aces (11) and winners (46-33) but also fewer unforced errors (24) as he saved all five break points on his serve.
Seventh-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada moved on following a tight 7-6 (3), 7-5 win over Marton Fucsovics of Hungary. Ninth-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia dropped the opening set before ousting Japanese wild card Rei Sakamoto 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-1.
Also victorious on Saturday were 12th-seeded Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic, 18th-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina, 19th-seeded Frances Tiafoe of the United States, 29th-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina, 30th-seeded Corentin Moutet of France and 31st-seeded Ugo Humbert of France as well as Spanish qualifier Rafael Jodar.
A host of seeded players lost, with Russia’s Andrey Rublev (15th) falling to Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (16th) eliminated by France’s Quentin Halys, American Learner Tien (20th) downed by Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak, Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie (23st) ousted by American Alex Michelsen, Arthur Rinderknach (26th) losing to fellow Frenchman Terence Atmane and American Brandon Nakashima (27th) beaten by Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
–Field Level Media
