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World number two Jannik Sinner of Italy stretched his win streak over fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev to seven matches on Friday, advancing to a Miami Open men’s final against Czech Jiri Lehecka.The 24-year-old Italian fired 15 aces in beating Germany’s Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) after an hour and 53 minutes - boosting his streak of consecutive sets won at the elite Masters 1000 level to 32.Sinner is trying to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the “Sunshine Double” by winning titles at Indian Wells and Miami in the same year. “Standing here again in a final means very much to me,” Sinner said. “We’ll try to push in a couple of days but in any case it has been an incredible swing.”Reigning Wimbledon champion Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam winner, also beat Zverev two weeks ago in the Indian Wells semi-finals and seeks his second Miami crown in three years. “Coming here, trying to produce some good tennis, that was my main goal,” Sinner said. “Trying to play as many matches as possible. I couldn’t do better. I’m very happy.”Also attempting a “Sunshine Double” is world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who defends her Miami crown against American fourth seed Coco Gauff in Saturday’s WTA final.Lehecka, seeded 21st, dominated 28th-seeded Arthur Fils of France 6-2, 6-2 in the other semi-final at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.Lehecka is winless in three matches against Sinner without taking a set. “He’s an incredible player,” said Sinner.“He’s going to be for sure more free than me but I try to control whatever I can control and the rest we’ll see how it goes.”Sinner blasted a forehand winner to break Zverev for a 3-1 lead and held from there to capture the first set after 42 minutes on a service winner. Neither player could manage a break into the second-set tie-breaker, which turned when Zverev sent an overhead smash long to hand Sinner a 5-4 lead. Zverev, who last beat the Italian in the fourth round at the 2023 US Open, sent a backhand wide on the next point and Sinner settled matters with a service winner, improving to 8-4 all-time against the German.“Today has been a very tough encounter. He played some incredible tennis,” Sinner said. “I was serving very well, especially in the crucial moments, so I’m very happy.”Sinner seeks a 26th career ATP title in his 35th career final. Lehecka, who has not dropped a set in the event, delivered the Frenchman’s first four broken service games to advance after 75 minutes.“It feels great. It’s definitely something I’ve been working towards the whole year and the whole pre-season,” Lehecka said.“I really trusted my game and the work I put in. It didn’t matter when, but I knew it would come and today was a nice example of how I want to play. I executed it well so I’m very happy with today’s performance.”Lehecka will jump past his current career high ranking of 16th next week. He’s assured of leaping eight spots to 14th and with a title would reach 12th. 

Alexander Zverev said he is beginning to see the benefits of a more aggressive playing ‌style that he introduced this year ​in his quest ‌for a Grand Slam title.The towering German ‌has a ⁠massive ‌serve but in the ‌biggest moments at major tournaments would often opt to ⁠play it safe and, in the process, present his opponent with a chance to pounce.Now, the 28-year-old is prepared to take risks in pursuit of his elusive first major title, adding that he is "willing to pay the ​price" for any losses incurred as he adapts."It's exciting, but it will take time," he told reporters after ‌his 7-6(2) 5-7 6-4 ⁠third-round win ​over American Brandon Nakashima at Indian Wells ​on Sunday."I'm still trying to win matches here, so sometimes I will go back to my old self."But I think in important moments like today in the tiebreak, I won the tiebreak myself. I won the tiebreak by playing aggressive tennis, and that's something to look forward to and to be ‌excited about."He said the ‌new playing style ⁠didn't work out for him when he suffered ⁠a surprising loss ⁠to Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Acapulco late last month, but he remains resolute in his efforts.Zverev, a seven-time Masters 1000 champion, showcased tremendous fighting spirit during a five-hour, 27-minute Australian Open semi-final against ​eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in January.Although he has never triumphed at Indian Wells, he expressed confidence in the hardened, faster hard courts in the California desert."I still think I can do well here," he said.Zverev awaits his next opponent, with a matchup against either American Frances Tiafoe or ‌Italy's Flavio ​Cobolli on the horizon. 

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev crashed out of the ATP Acapulco Open on Wednesday, losing in three sets to unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic who claimed his first career win over a top-five player. Kecmanovic, ranked 84th in the world, triumphed 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4) over world number four Zverev, who was playing his first tournament since an epic semi-final defeat to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open. Kecmanovic, 25, had come up empty in 11 prior career matches against top-five players. He cruised through the opening set, before Zverev clawed his way back into the match, finally sealing the victory after two hours and 35 minutes. “It feels amazing,” said Kecmanovic, who was aided by 17 unforced backhand errors from the German. “Obviously he’s the big favorite, so I didn’t have any pressure there, but you still have to play well when it matters, close out the match and thankfully it went my way,” he added. With Zverev’s defeat, the 500 level hardcourt tournament has now lost its top four seeds. Second-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur was eliminated on Monday, third-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway lost on Tuesday. 

Carlos Alcaraz sizzled under the bright lights at the Australian Open and blazed into the semi-finals on Tuesday after fellow top seed Aryna ‌Sabalenka remained cool in the unforgiving Melbourne heat to stay on course for another title. Alexander Zverev ‌was briefly made to sweat under the ‍roof of Rod Laver Arena before overcoming Learner Tien, but a frustrated Coco Gauff unravelled in a racket-smashing meltdown following a stunning defeat by the resurgent ⁠Elina Svitolina.That preceded Alcaraz's dominant 7-5 6-2 6-1 victory over Alex ⁠de Minaur on the main showcourt, as the Spaniard dashed his sixth-seeded opponent's hopes of ending a five-decade Australian wait ‍for a homegrown men's champion.The 22-year-old - a six-times major winner - is seeking his own piece of history at Melbourne Park, where he can eclipse Don Budge and become the youngest man to lift all four Grand Slam trophies."It was a great match in terms of level, in terms of the intensity. I played the best match so far in the tournament," Alcaraz told reporters."This is my first official tournament of the year and sometimes I'm not that patient. In the first match I really wanted to play at my best level. This is almost impossible. You have ‌to get the rhythm of the competition again."Sabalenka, chasing her third title in four years, also got into a high gear for a dominant 6-3 6-0 win over 18-year-old Iva Jovic on a sweltering Centre Court, where the roof was open with the "Heat Stress Scale" not at its ‍highest threshold. Shortly after her victory, though, ⁠tournament organisers invoked the extreme ‌heat policy as temperatures crossed the 40 Celsius (104F) mark, prompting the suspension of play on the outer courts and the closure of roofs on the main ones."It was hot out there. I guess as women, we are stronger than the guys, so they had to close the roof for the guys, so they don't suffer," Sabalenka joked."I knew going into this match they won't let us play in crazy heat. If it would reach five (on the Heat Stress Scale) they would close the roof." The four-times Grand Slam champion was less pleased with the Australian Open's ban on wearable fitness tracking devices after some players were told to remove them before matches.SERVICE WOESUp next for Sabalenka is Ukrainian 12th seed Svitolina, who took full advantage of Gauff's woes on serve and reached her first Australian Open semi-final with a 6-1 6-2 victory in under an hour."It was a good day in ​the office," said Svitolina, who is finding her ‌best form after a mental health break last year."Very pleased with the way that I've been playing, not only this match, but I think the tournament overall."Gauff later looked for ⁠a place without cameras to channel her frustration and ‍was unhappy to find out that a video of her obliteratingher racket on a concrete floor inside Melbourne Park was broadcast to viewers worldwide."I kind of have a thing with the broadcasters," she said."I feel like certain moments - the same thing happened to Aryna after I played her in final of the U.S. Open in 2023. I feel like they don't need to broadcast it."While Gauff battled through her own storm, Melbourne Park wilted earlier as the temperature touched 45 Celsius at around 4.30 p.m. and ​fans were largely absent from concourses across the usually buzzing venue.The day session attendance was 21,226, less than half Monday's 50,010 for the corresponding session. The decision to close the roof made conditions easier for the players, but Zverev was unable to get into his comfort zone against Tien, losing the second set to the American and being taken to a tiebreak in the fourth. Despite being tested, Zverev said he was confident he could get past Tien in what he called perfect conditions."It's great. I would love to play with the roof every single match, so it was not difficult," he said. "It was difficult physically, but it was not difficult with the conditions." The German third seed, runner-up to Jannik Sinner ⁠last year, secured a 6-3 6-7(5) 6-1 7-6(3) victory to stay on course for a first Grand Slam trophy but the path will get tougher with Alcaraz up next. 

World number three Alexander Zverev said he was playing “terrible tennis” after he was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters by France’s Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.His exit leaves Novak Djokovic as the tournament’s top-ranked player, increasing the 38-year-old Serb’s chances of winning a record-extending fifth title in the Chinese financial hub.In stifling conditions, the 54th-ranked Rinderknech came back from a set down to stun an increasingly rattled Zverev into submission. It is the second time the Frenchman has beaten him, after bundling him out of Wimbledon earlier this year.A despondent Zverev told reporters the match had been “nothing unusual for me, unfortunately, these days”.“Just no confidence, no belief in the shots... My year has been terrible, I’m just playing terrible tennis all round,” he said, visibly emotional.The German had injured his big toe towards the end of his last match in Shanghai but on Monday showed no sign of discomfort as he broke Rinderknech in the third game with a forehand.He nearly went ahead early in the second set, but Rinderknech recovered his composure and broke in the fourth game.“I’m not very sure (how I managed to turn the game around),” he said.“I fought like hell, tried everything. (Zverev) is such a good player... I knew it was going to be a battle.“Starting in the second set... I was able to be offensive at the right moment, in a smarter way,” he said.Keeping up the momentum, in the third set the 30-year-old broke in the third game.Zverev had to pause to change his shoes because sweat was pouring out of them, as spectators wafted fans and wore cool packs on their foreheads to counter the suffocating humidity. But switching footwear was not enough to save the German, and a double fault in the seventh game led to Rinderknech breaking again.Holding with an ace to win, the Frenchman lolled his body in delighted disbelief, then danced around the court in glee.Top seeds vanquished Zverev’s loss means world number five Djokovic now leads ranking-wise as the tournament heads into the last 16, with the 24-time Grand Slam winner facing Spain’s Jaume Munar Tuesday.On Sunday the competition lost both defending champion Jannik Sinner, who was forced to retire with extreme leg cramps, and fourth-ranked Taylor Fritz.World number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrew at the last minute to rest.Alex de Minaur is the next highest seed after Djokovic through to the fourth round, comfortably getting past Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5.The Australian will next meet Portugal’s Nuno Borges, who put an end to the hopes of home favourite Shang Juncheng 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3.MEDVEDEV ADVANCESDaniil Medvedev, the 2019 Shanghai champion, is through too, after beating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).“I haven’t had a title since two years, so (I’m) not a favourite yet, but I will take it match by match, and I’m happy with the way I play so far,” he told AFP.The Russian broke early to take the first set, before edging a sweat-soaked tiebreak in the second.Medvedev said he relished the conditions.“Whenever it’s above 28 and humid, I suffer and many players don’t. Here everyone suffers,” he grinned.He will once again take on US teenager Learner Tien, who defeated him last week in the China Open semi-final.The 19-year-old beat Britain’s Cameron Norrie 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to make the last 16 on Monday.

World number two Jannik Sinner launched his Shanghai Masters title defence Saturday by breezing past Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3 while Alexander Zverev advanced despite toe trouble.Sinner, fresh from winning the China Open, broke early in both sets to take control and ease himself comfortably into the third round.The 49th-ranked Altmaier’s best chance came in the eighth game of the first set, but he failed to convert a breakpoint twice, allowing the Italian to hold with an ace.The second set provided even less opportunity to seriously bother the 24-year-old Wimbledon champion, but afterwards Sinner said it had been more difficult than it looked.“First match is never easy, especially when you don’t have a lot of time to adjust,” he said.“(Altmaier) is a very tough player, very talented... I just tried to stay mentally in a good point,” he added.“When I broke him twice very early in the set it gave me the confidence to serve the match out, so I’m very happy.”Sinner’s path to retaining the title has been made easier by the withdrawal of great rival Carlos Alcaraz, who dropped out last minute to rest.The Italian’s next match is Sunday against the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor.Four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic will take to the court again Sunday as well, facing Germany’s 150th-ranked Yannick Hanfmann.The tournament lost another top-10 player as Karen Khachanov was defeated by China’s Shang Juncheng 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.Shang, ranked 237th after slipping down the rankings due to injury, was egged on by an increasingly raucous crowd as ninth seed Khachanov flagged.Shang broke in the eighth game of the second set with a backhand.“I think I played well on the whole but I think everyone (in the crowd) must have put a lot of pressure on him,” the 20-year-old Shang laughed.World number three Zverev overcame an injury to his big toe to book his place in the third round, beating France’s Valentin Royer 6-4, 6-4.The German had a blistering start, breaking Royer in the first game and then sending down three aces to easily hold the second.The Frenchman found his feet but a crucial stumble saw him miss a break point in the eighth game, and Zverev took the set.Both players missed chances to break in the second, wowing the crowd with multiple tense rallies.Zverev finally broke in the ninth game then held the last game to win, despite having to take a medical break after limping off court.“It’s not a nice feeling to finish a match like that,” Zverev said afterwards, wincing.He said he sustained the injury during the follow-through of his serve, and would have it assessed Sunday.“I really don’t know what happened, so we’re going to check it out,” he said.World number seven Alex de Minaur comfortably dispatched Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4, 6-2.Russian Andrey Rublev, ranked 14th, was upset by qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.But compatriot Daniil Medvedev dominated qualifier Dalibor Svrcina to advance 6-1, 6-1.

Taylor Fritz held off Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to seal Team World’s triumph in the Laver Cup Monday as two wins for Carlos Alcaraz on the final day proved too little for Team Europe.Fritz fired a backhand volley winner on his first match point to give Team World a 15-9 victory over Europe in the global tennis event, sparking jubilant celebrations from his teammates and World captain Andre Agassi at Chase Center – home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.“The energy from the team, it just feels the moments of winning feel so much better, the moments of losing feel so much worse because you’re doing it for all these guys,” Fritz said.“It just fires me up so much,” added the fifth-ranked American, who had beaten Alcaraz on Saturday when Team World swept all four matches to seize a 9-3 lead.Fritz had raced through the opening set against a weary-looking Zverev.The German stepped it up in the second set, but he was down a break and trailing 4-3 before he finally mustered his first break points of the night.He converted his third to level the set at 4-4 to the delight of his Europe teammates and captain Yannick Noah.A quick hold from Zverev left Fritz serving to stay in the set. He held to love and they battled to the tiebreaker, where Fritz took a 3-0 lead only for Zverev to win three straight points before Fritz won four of the final five.Alcaraz, fresh off his sixth Grand Slam title at the US Open, had kept Europe’s title defence alive with a blistering 6-2, 6-1 victory over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.Alcaraz and Casper Ruud had sliced Europe’s deficit with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 doubles victory over Reilly Opelka and Alex Michelsen to open Sunday’s action. But Australian world number eight Alex De Minaur then beat Czech Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-4 to push Team World’s lead to 12-6, with 13 points needed to claim the Cup and each match on Sunday worth three points.De Minaur, a late replacement on Team World for Frances Tiafoe, had nabbed two wins on Saturday – beating Zverev in singles and coming through again in doubles.Team World regained the title they surrendered to Europe last year in Berlin.Europe have won five of eight editions of the event co-created by Swiss great Roger Federer, which will be held in London next year.