Sinner raises Alcaraz stakes with historic 'Sunshine Double'

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jannik Sinner is the eighth man to win Indian Wells and the Miami Open - and the first since Roger Federer in 2017ByJonathan JurejkoBBC Sport tennis news reporterPublished4 hours ago120 CommentsJannik Sinner creating a moment of history by adding the Miami Open title to his Indian Wells victory will certainly not have escaped Carlos Alcaraz's notice.Sinner, 24, became the first man to complete what is known as the 'Sunshine Double' - scooping both trophies on the hard courts in California and Florida - without dropping a set.The imperious nature of the Italian's 6-4 6-4 win over Czech 21st seed Jiri Lehecka in a rain-interrupted Miami final was another illustration of how far Sinner and Alcaraz remain ahead of the chasing pack.It was also a reminder for Alcaraz - not that he needed one - how he must continue to find ways to further improve if he is able to maintain his current status as the leading player on the men's tour.World number two Sinner has now won his past 34 sets at Masters events, enabling him to join Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the only men to claim three consecutive titles in the tier of tournaments below the Grand Slams.Securing another triumph in Miami helped Sinner close the gap on Alcaraz, who was beaten in the third round, at the top of the rankings.The gap is down to 1,190 points as the season moves on to the European clay-court swing, where the pair will unquestionably spar again for the biggest prizes given the stratospheric level on which they operate."It has been an incredible swing for me and I'm extremely happy with the work we did to be in this position," said Sinner, who has bounced back from losing in the Qatar Open quarter-finals before going to the US."We had some good practice days before Indian Wells and seeing this kind of result makes me happy, as does the level we are trying to produce and the player we're trying to achieve."Both Sinner and Alcaraz continue to elevate their games in an attempt to outstrip the other, while the rest of the ATP Tour lags way behind.When Sinner lost to his Spanish rival in September's US Open final, he candidly talked about needing to bring more variety and unpredictability to the court.But since falling to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals, and then Jakub Mensik in Doha, Sinner's success has come down to the improved reliability of his service game.Metronomic precision with his opening shot laid the platform for his Miami victory.Hitting 70 aces over six matches was the highest tally of his career in a three-set tournament. Only once did he drop a service game.Against Lehecka, Sinner won 92% of his first-serve points. How he overcame his only moment of real peril underlined the effectiveness of his serve.Trailing 0-40 and facing three break points when 2-1 up in the first set, Sinner pulled out five inch-perfect first serves which Lehecka could barely get a string on.It was reminiscent of Roger Federer at his best, able to relieve pressure and deflate opponents by serving his way out of trouble.No wonder some have claimed Sinner has entered his 'servebot' era.That is not the only area where he is looking to make improvements, though.Sinner was described as "one of the best ball strikers the game has ever seen" by Miami quarter-final opponent Frances Tiafoe - yet is still looking to increase aggression with his forehand.That might seem ridiculous given the power and precision which Sinner already possesses from that wing.As Sinner looked to secure the opening set against Lehecka, he twice dispatched first serves from the Czech with crushing cross-court forehands.It was proof of Sinner's desire to put his foot down at the right time and sent a clear message to his rivals."The guy has zero weakness - that's why he has won so much," said 2013 Wimbledon women's champion Marion Bartoli, analysing the final for Sky Sports.While Sinner celebrates in Miami, Alcaraz is back home in Murcia and already practising on the clay.No doubt the 22-year-old will be working on the marginal gains he has identified to help keep his nose in front of his rival.The ultimate clay-court goal for Alcaraz is defending the French Open title which he memorably claimed by beating Sinner in an all-time classic last year.Emerging with the number one ranking would be an added bonus.Sinner has a free run at Alcaraz over the coming weeks, when he is expected to play two Masters events - which carry 1,000 points for the champion - in Monte Carlo and Madrid.Because Sinner was serving a three-month suspension this time last year for failing two doping tests, he has no ranking points to defend until the Italian Open at the start of May.This two-horse race could be neck and neck by the time Roland Garros rolls around. It remains an even-money bet who will be ahead.Related topicsTennisMore on this storySabalenka beats Gauff to complete 'Sunshine Double'Published1 day agoLive scores, results and order of playGet tennis news sent straight to your phonePublished16 August 2025