No way. Jannik Sinner fails to dispel the Medvedev taboo, loses for the sixth time in as many matches with the Russian tennis player and surrenders in the final of the Master 1000 in Miami.

The South Tyrolean, who had defeated world number 1 Alcaraz in an extraordinary match in the semifinals, yields in two sets to his bete noire and still has to postpone the appointment with the first title of a 1000 in his career.

In Miami it ends 7-5, 6-3 for Medvedev in one hour and 33 minutes of play.

Sinner starts well and in the fifth game he also wins the first break of the match, but immediately afterwards he loses his serve, putting the Russian back into the game. It reaches 5-5 and here Medvedev places the decisive draw, with a break in the twelfth game which earns him the first set.

In the second partial Medvedev immediately 2-0, Sinner recovers the break but loses it immediately after giving up his serve for the fourth time during the match. It is the decisive break, which Medvedev will be able to keep until the final 6-3.

Sinner still falls into the top ten and is number 9 in the world.

(Unioneonline/L)