We have reached the final Sunday of the 2026 Miami Open, and with it, a men’s singles champion will be crowned. Progressing through the bottom of the draw was no surprise: No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner. But from the top half of the draw, a side filled with Alcaraz, de Minaur, Fritz, Ruud, and Draper, it was No. 21 seed Jiri Lehecka who emerged victorious. On paper, this match may look lopsided. But there’s reason for pause regarding Sinner’s attempt at the Sunshine Double.
ATP Miami Final Prediction
Jannik Sinner vs Jiri Lehecka
Head-to-Head: Sinner 4-0 Lehecka
Sinner is one victory away from becoming the eighth man in ATP Tour history to win both legs of the Sunshine Double in the same year. Something even more impressive? He has not dropped a set in these 11 matches on US soil.
After falling to Djokovic in the semifinals at the Australian Open, the 24-year-old Italian has proven why he is considered the best hardcourt player in the world. Sinner has absolutely mowed down opponents in Miami, spending an average of one hour and 25 minutes on court in each of his Miami Open matches. The courts are speedy, playing into the hands of Sinner’s machine-like groundstrokes.
While Sinner was expected to reach the final on Sunday in Miami, his opponent, 24-year-old Czech Jiri Lehecka, certainly was not.
The No. 21 seed’s path to the final has by no stretch been easy, but giant killers in the top half of the draw opened up the opportunity for Lehecka. His three-set win over Taylor Fritz in the Round of 16 was Lehecka’s ninth top-ten win of his career. And yes, that is incredibly impressive for such a young player with a career-high of World No. 16.
Miami Open Final Prediction
Lehecka’s game has limited holes. He can punish you off both wings, moves well, and holds serve at an above-average clip. He will never beat himself, putting the onus on his opponent to come up with special shots to end a point. Unfortunately for the Czech, that is exactly Sinner’s specialty.
Sinner and Lehecka have squared off three times since 2024. The Czech has yet to take a set off the Italian, and frankly, has been embarrassed in their encounters. That said, Lehecka is playing the best tennis of his career and will leave Miami with a new career-high ranking because of it.
Expect Lehecka to hang with Sinner from the back of the court for an early period of each set, but when playing across the net from a ball machine blasting 90mph groundstrokes, it is impossible to see him hold up. I will take Sinner in straights; something like 6-3 7-6, making him the first man to claim the Sunshine Double since Federer in 2017.
Prediction: Sinner in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – Imagn Images