Sinner sweeps Lehecka in wet Miami Open final for rare Sunshine Double
by Alex Butler · UPIMIAMI GARDENS, Fla., March 29 (UPI) -- Jannik Sinner lulled Jiri Lehecka with consistent ground strokes between blistering serves into the corners of the Hard Rock Stadium court on Sunday to capture the 2026 Miami Open title.
With the 6-4, 6-4 victory, the No. 2 Italian became the eighth man to complete a rare Sunshine Double -- back-to-back titles at Indian Wells and Miami in the same year. He earned a first-place prize of $1.15 million.
Sinner, the first man to complete a Sunshine Double since Roger Federer in 2017, is the first player to complete the feat without losing a single set.
"It means a lot to me," Sinner said on the Tennis Channel broadcast. "The Sunshine Double is incredible. It's something I would've never thought [about] because it's so difficult to achieve. We made it somehow, so I'm very happy."
Sinner totaled 10 aces and 22 winners. He broke Lehecka's serve twice. Sinner's 70 total aces at the Miami Open were his highest total for a tournament, outside of Grand Slam events. He improved to 19-2 this year while extending his record record set victory streak to 34.
"If I need to lose it against someone, it's against you, Jannik," Lehecka told Sinner after the match.
The one-hour, 33-minute match was initially scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT, but featured an hour, 31-minute postponement and another 1 hour, 22-minute delay after the first set.
Once the court was dried, Lehecka and Sinner held the first two serves of the match. Sinner then broke Lehecka for the first time of the tournament, grabbing momentum from the Czech.
The Italian fended off three break points in the third game for a 3-1 edge.
Each player held for the next six games. Lehecka fended off two set points from Sinner in the ninth game, but Sinner clinched the set by holding in the 10th.
Lehecka and Sinner held serve through the first eight games of the second set. Sinner then broke the Czech for a second time in the ninth game.
Sinner leaned on his serve, with back-to-back aces to start the final game. He ended the match with a forehand return at the net.
Lehecka, who will move up from No. 22 to 14 in the ATP Tour singles rankings on Monday, took home $612,340.
With his win, Sinner joined top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to form just the fifth pair of men's and women's players to win Sunshine Doubles in the same year.
Sabalenka, who beat No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States in three sets Saturday, took home a matching $1.15 million prize and Butch Buchholz Championship Trophy from Miami.
Sabalenka and Sinner will remain No. 1 and 2 in the respective women's and men's singles rankings. Gauff will climb to No. 3 in Monday's rankings update.