Titel defender Hubert Hurkacz denied Daniil Medvedev the hoped-for return to the top of the world tennis rankings at the Masters 1000 tournament in Miami. The 25-year-old Pole beat the one-year-old Russian 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
In the semifinals he now meets the only 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who prevailed in an extremely exciting match 6: 7 (5: 7), 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 5) against the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
Just a few weeks ago, Medvedev replaced Novak Djokovic at the top of the world rankings. Due to the early exit at the tournament in Indian Wells, the Russian immediately lost the top position again – and now missed the chance to return, for which he would have had to reach the semifinals.
The Serb Djokovic was unable to start in the two major hard court tournaments in the United States due to his lack of a corona vaccination.
Alexander Zverev had previously suffered the next disappointment this season in Miami. The 24-year-old from Hamburg lost 3: 6, 6: 1, 3: 6 against the Norwegian Casper Ruud. In the semifinals, a duel with the surprise man Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina would have been waiting, who now meets Ruud.
Meanwhile, it’s getting expensive for Nick Kyrgios. The Australian tennis bully has to pay a fine of 35,000 dollars (approx. 31,600 euros) after his renewed freak out at the Masters in Miami. As the ATP players’ association announced, the fine consists of $20,000 (approx. EUR 18,000) for “verbal insult”, $10,000 (approx. EUR 9,000) for two unsportsmanlike conduct and $5,000 (approx. EUR 4,500) for an “audible insult”. obscenity” together.
In his round of 16 defeat against the Italian Jannik Sinner, the 26-year-old Kyrgios insulted chair referee Carlos Bernardes extensively and smashed his racket.
It was only at the beginning of March, after his quarter-finals in Indian Wells against Rafael Nadal, that Kyrgios had to pay 25,000 dollars (approx. 22,600 euros) for various misconduct. After the game, he nearly hit a ball boy with a racquet throw.
Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek are in the women’s final in Miami. A former number one in the world rankings and the new number one in the world rankings meet on Sunday. The Japanese Osaka defeated Olympic champion Belinda Bencic from Switzerland on Thursday evening (local time) 4: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4. Poland’s Swiatek won against Jessica Pegula from the USA 6:2, 7:5. For Osaka, it’s the first final on the WTA Tour since winning the Australian Open more than a year ago. Swiatek takes the lead in the world rankings following the retirement of Ashleigh Barty of Australia on Monday.
