Dimitrov Dominates Alcaraz At Miami Masters, Sets Zverev SF; Sinner v Medvedev

Grigor Dimitrov continued his strong recent run hammering the in-form and Indian Wells winner Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Miami Masters semifinals.

The 32-year-old Bulgarian dominated in all facets of the game, using his return to break early for a 3-0 lead and never looked back.

“I think overall to win against him you have to play at your best, that’s just how it is,” Dimitrov said. “I came into the match very focussed and I think, extremely clear what I had to do.

“Sometimes simplicity is genius. It’s very, very hard to do it, especially when you play against an opponent like that, but I was really able to dictate the game, read the game a little bit better than last time. Overall, I think a very great match on my end and I’m just happy I finished in straight sets.”

Alcaraz, a former Miami champion, had won 10 straight matches coming in and three of four from Dimitrov, but Thursday night the underdog was in full flight.

“I was just using every opportunity I had. I think every second serve I had, I was attacking it. I was making sure I was putting him in a very difficult position,” added Dimitrov. “I had to keep on being aggressive, come to the net, move the ball around and not let him hit.”

Today, Dimitrov is back to take on Alexander Zverev who eased past Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 7-5.

“I’m happy to be back in these late stages of these tournaments, playing the best players in the world, I think there are only those left,” Zverev said. “Looking forward to the challenge.”

In the first semifinal, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev meet for a 11th time. Medvedev has won six but Sinner has won the last four including the Australian Open. Medvedev won over Sinner in the Miami final last year.

“Tough match obviously. He made final in Indian Wells. Also he has good confidence. He is playing really good, especially here in this tournament. Last year he won,” Sinner said.

“But let’s see. It’s going to be a very tactical match potentially, because, you know, I have to be ready if he starts off in a similar way as in Australia. I have to be ready and trying to understand it before. Then maybe he’s gonna change a couple of things.”

The women’s final is set as Elena Rybakina returned to the title match with a thrilling 6-4, 0-6, 7-6(2) win over 3-time Miami winner Victoria Azarenka.

“The whole match we were both fighting,” Rybakina said. “I knew that in the tiebreak the only chance for me to win is just to switch off my mind and just try to go for it.

“For sure I can take a lot from this tournament, a lot of positive,” she added. “And also, in the beginning, these long matches were helping me to get back in shape.”

Rybakina will meet the red-hot Danielle Collins who continued her form blowing past Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first Masters final.

“This feels like a really big accomplishment,” Collins said. “I think all of us want to make finals of 1000-level tournaments. These are our biggest tournaments of the year, aside from the Grand Slams.

“This is just so special. I can’t stress it enough about being in my home state and having my dog here, friends, family. It’s really special.”

FRIDAY MIAMI MASTERS SCHEDULE
Stadium – 1pm
Women’s Doubles
3pm
(3) Daniil Medvedev vs (2) Jannik Sinner

7pm
(11) Grigor Dimitrov vs (4) Alexander Zverev
Women’s Doubles

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