Jannik Sinner not only upset World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in their Miami Open presented by Itau semi-final Friday evening. The Italian also conquered the Spaniard in an exchange that is a genuine contender for point of the year.
The 25-shot rally featured blistering groundstrokes, side-to-side movement, a drop shot from Alcaraz and ultimately an incredible curling backhand passing shot from Sinner to win the point that was too far out of the reach of the diving top seed.
The crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed throughout the point, but the fans inside Hard Rock Stadium erupted once Sinner hit his passing shot and motioned to the crowd to make more noise.
“It was [an] unbelievable point. When I lost that point, the first thing that came to my mind is like, ‘He's unbeatable, this guy’,” Alcaraz said. “We played a great game, I think [we were] both [at a] great level. I broke his serve that game, if I remember well. But of course against Jannik [there are] always great points like this one.”
[ATP APP]
Sinner said: “It was a long point also. It was a physical point, for sure. It started a little bit with the drop shot, and then after I went cross I think. Then I went back with the forehand. At some point I went backhand down the line and he was basically [lying] down, but he came up so fast. I wanted to go behind him, but he was there. And then after, I tried this shot, because firstly, I wanted to lob him but the ball was too low. So I went crosscourt, which was the right choice.
“But still, it was a very physical point. I lost the game after that one. But yeah, as I said, you always need two players to make these kind of points.”
It was a special moment in what is becoming a special rivalry. Sinner will play Daniil Medvedev on Sunday for the trophy.
The 25-shot rally featured blistering groundstrokes, side-to-side movement, a drop shot from Alcaraz and ultimately an incredible curling backhand passing shot from Sinner to win the point that was too far out of the reach of the diving top seed.
The crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed throughout the point, but the fans inside Hard Rock Stadium erupted once Sinner hit his passing shot and motioned to the crowd to make more noise.
“It was [an] unbelievable point. When I lost that point, the first thing that came to my mind is like, ‘He's unbeatable, this guy’,” Alcaraz said. “We played a great game, I think [we were] both [at a] great level. I broke his serve that game, if I remember well. But of course against Jannik [there are] always great points like this one.”
[ATP APP]
Sinner said: “It was a long point also. It was a physical point, for sure. It started a little bit with the drop shot, and then after I went cross I think. Then I went back with the forehand. At some point I went backhand down the line and he was basically [lying] down, but he came up so fast. I wanted to go behind him, but he was there. And then after, I tried this shot, because firstly, I wanted to lob him but the ball was too low. So I went crosscourt, which was the right choice.
“But still, it was a very physical point. I lost the game after that one. But yeah, as I said, you always need two players to make these kind of points.”
It was a special moment in what is becoming a special rivalry. Sinner will play Daniil Medvedev on Sunday for the trophy.