Miami (AFP)

Talented, offensive and persevering, the young Italian Jannik Sinner, 31st in the world, offered his first final of a Masters 1000 in Miami on Friday, defeating the formidable Spanish defender Roberto 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Bautista, 12th.

"Today we both showed excellent tennis. It was not easy. It was a bit windy too. I'm very happy with my performance today," reacted the winner hotly.

The 19-year-old, one of the most promising members of the "Next Gen" (next generation), will aim for a 3rd title on the ATP circuit, Sunday in the final, against the Russian Andrey Rublev, 8th in the world or the Polish Hubert Hurkacz, 37 worldwide, opposed in night session.

For his third tournament in this category, just below the Grand Slams, he joined Andre Agassi, crowned in 1990, Rafael Nadal, finalist in 2005, and Novak Djokovic, winner in 2007, among the youngest finalists in Miami.

"It's good to be in the final here, but that doesn't mean anything," Sinner said.

"The road is very long, I want to improve day by day and we will see what happens."

Faced with the experienced 32-year-old Spaniard, whom he had beaten for the first time this year in Dubai and who also reached for the first time the last four in Florida, Sinner knew not to be discouraged by having the impression of hitting a wall returning all the balls to him.

- "Very happy" -

What happened in the first set.

Broken from the start by Bautista who countered his first bombs with forehands, Sinner quickly caught up, thanks to good returns punishing second shy balls from the Spaniard (3-3).

But the latter still managed to take his service to lead 6-5 and conclude on his commitment.

Sinner, who then erased three break points to 3-3, then raised his level of play and knew how to bend Bautista, in particular by climbing on the fly several times, to push in the third set.

As in the first, Bautista broke, then Sinner broke at 3-3.

And he again attacked his opponent who ended up abdicating on his service at 5-4 against him, on yet another opposing forehand.

“We played a tough game in Dubai and now another here. He's a very solid player, maybe one of the strongest on the tour. I tried to keep my serve in the second set, and, more overall playing simple, doing it in the best possible way, so I'm very happy today, ”Sinner commented.

He will watch with great interest the other semi-final in the evening between Rublev and Hurkacz, the first to have the costume of the favorite since the eliminations of the first two seeds, the Russian Daniil Medvedev and the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, in the absence of the Usual cadors Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer who have chosen to ignore them.

"For me it will be the first game against either one, so it's going to be very interesting," Sinner smiled.

© 2021 AFP