Daniil Medvedev emulates Roger Federer with Miami Open 2023 final run
Daniil Medvedev booked his place in the Miami Open final with a 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3 win over 14th seed Karen Khachanov on Friday.
The World No. 5 put in a magnificent performance to reach his first final in Miami and fifth successive final this season.
Medvedev won three successive titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and Qatar before losing 6-3, 6-2 to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
His run to the Miami final makes him the first player to reach five or more ATP-level finals before the clay-court season since Roger Federer in 2006.
5 - Daniil Medvedev is the first player to reach 5+ ATP level finals before the clay courts season since Roger Federer in 2006. Take-off.
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In 2006, Federer reached five successive finals at the Qatar Open, the Australian Open, the Dubai Tennis Championships, the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Masters. He came out on top in all but one, losing to Rafael Nadal in Dubai.
Federer went on to reach 11 consecutive finals that year before losing to Andy Murray in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters.
Daniil Medvedev said in his post-match press conference that he was happy to reach the Miami Open final, especially because this was the only hard-court tournament among the Slams and Masters 1000 events where he had previously failed to make the final.
"Great, great, amazing. Before the tournament, someone, I don't remember who, asked me that I made finals in all the Masters and Grand Slams on hard courts except here in Miami. Really happy to do it here. For sure the tournament is not over. Very important match Sunday," Medvedev said.
Daniil Medvedev to face Jannik Sinner in Miami Open final
Daniil Medvedev will square off against 10th seed Jannik Sinner in the final of the Miami Open on Sunday.
The Italian booked his place in the title clash with an exhilarating 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2 win over Carlos Alcaraz, thus avenging his loss to the Spaniard in the Indian Wells semifinals.
His victory also means that Novak Djokovic will reclaim the World No. 1 ranking come Monday.
Medvedev and Sinner will lock horns for the sixth time, with the Russian winning each of their five previous encounters. Their last meeting came in the final of the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, with Medvedev coming back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.