Miami delivered for Sinner and Collins, but what's going on with Djokovic?

MIAMI OPEN (ATP)
Sinner confirms he’s the best out there right now

A 22-year-old from Italy is currently the best player in the world. Jannik Sinner confirmed his new status on Sunday in Miami by clinching his third title of the year after the Australian Open (his first Grand Slam title) and Rotterdam. Sinner, whose amazing power is now matched by an improved footwork, crushed Grigor Dimitrov in the final (6-3, 6-1).

• Sinner just lost one set on the way to the title, against Tallon Griekspoor during his second match (5-7, 7-5, 6-1)

• Jannik Sinner is the first player to claim the men’s singles titles at the Australian Open and Miami Open in a calendar year since Roger Federer (2017)

• Sinner could soon be called World No.1 as he rose to World No.2 after this Miami Open title, passing Carlos Alcaraz, and is now 1015 points away from Novak Djokovic’s throne.

• Darren Cahill, the famous member of Sinner’s coaching team, thinks his pupil can get even better: “He's playing great, and his level was fantastic. But he can get better. We have been working on improving his serve, improving his transition game, improving his slice backhand to use it as a changeup shot, improving his direction on his forehand, and return of serve. You can go through everybody's game.”

We still won’t forget Dimitrov’s incredible tournament and how good it always is to watch him playing at his best. Side note: He did it for you all, one-handed backhand lovers, as the shot is now officially back in the Top 10!

What did Sinner say after this triumph? “I’m really proud. This is a special moment, you never know if this is the last time or not.” He also praised the work done to improve his fitness level and already turned his thoughts to the clay season. “Now the clay season is coming, so usually I struggle there. So let's see what I can do this year.”

The duo of the tournament? Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden won the doubles title against Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek (6-7(3), 6-3, 10-6). Bopanna reclaimed his record as the oldest (44) ATP Masters 1000 winner.

A TENNIS MYSTERY 
What is Novak Djokovic’s 2024 plan?

As Jannik Sinner shines, it’s easy to wonder what’s going on with Novak Djokovic, the last one standing between the Italian and the throne (until May 5th at least). Why is he not here to protect his throne from the Italian and Carlos Alcaraz? As has often been the case, Djokovic is quite the enigma.

The World No.1, beaten by Sinner in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, came back for Indian Wells but lost in his second match. Then he withdrew from the Miami Open, and a bit later he announced that he had parted ways with his coach Goran Ivanisevic, suggesting he might even decide to fly solo for the time being.

The most dominating player went from winning nearly everything to suddenly being more often seen off the court doing fun things, participating in a conference, or crossing paths with Katy Perry at this Upfront Summit. The Djoker (36) doesn’t have to justify himself at all from enjoying his life or starting to focus on what he’d love to get involved with after his career: he won it all, he’s been there, done that, it’s all good.

So yes he went to Miami, but just to enjoy some quality time under the sun it seems. Love that journey for him! But it’s so unlike him to suddenly break with his routines, that it’s raising eyebrows. We’re used to the determined, forever ambitious, always the man-with-the-plan Djokovic. So this 2024 version looks foreign to many.

• Djokovic has lost the habit of starting a season without an Australian Open trophy so it might have shocked his system

• He has said enough times now that his goal was all about the Grand Slam titles and the Olympic games: so he’s not going to play to chase points. Hence why his first part of the season is maybe lacking matches: he needs to keep that body up for the fight until deep in the summer. Roland-Garros - Wimbledon - Olympics: that’s a copious meal.

• Djokovic is already hitting on clay, so he decided after Indian Wells to turn his attention to Roland-Garros. He knows he has always needed more time on the clay courts to feel fully at his best on that surface. He also knows his body needs to be managed cleverly now: choices need to be made on what will deserve his full efforts.

• People always praise Djokovic’s unwavering motivation to win and to work harder to remain the best. But it’s a very demanding approach, every day of every week. And it’s been years and years of that. Adding, obviously, that he has a family he surely wishes he could see more often. So maybe Djokovic’s plan for 2024 is to shake things up enough so that he feels fresh again for the challenges to come. Maybe that’s the trick he felt he needed now to keep going. Clay will tell more very soon.

• In the meantime, Djokovic has the tennis world talking about him and wondering what’s next, even if he’s not playing! A trait he currently shares with Rafael Nadal, his legendary nemesis.

MIAMI OPEN (WTA)
Collins achieved quite the farewell tour!

Danielle Collins, in Miami, threw a party for her looming retirement. On Saturday, she got the best of Elena Rybakina (7-5,6-3) to clinch the first Masters 1000 title of her career. She is set to achieve something many players through the decades have hoped for regarding this last stretch: leaving on your terms and at the top. Collins said in January she would retire this year and intends to keep her word, as she wants to open a new chapter in her life. She also had to remind people that she’s been playing at this level for years despite suffering from endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

So she will not change her mind: she’s done with the game after 2024. The American player, whose speed of play will stay as her trademark as much as her fighting spirit, now seems to play so freely that in Miami she just kept winning. Until the end. And despite coming back from an injury.

What did Collins say after this triumph? "I've been playing some really great tennis. But sometimes when you're playing that good, you start to say, well, this is too good to be true. Am I going to, like, mess it up?”, she said on the WTA Insider podcast. “I go to my towel box and someone that I've never met or seen before is looking at me like, 'You can do this. You are awesome and the best, you can do this. Keep going for it.' It just gives me so much faith in humanity too, that people want to support other people and want to be encouraging.”

• Ranked 53rd in the world, Collins is the lowest-ranked player ever to win the Miami Open

• She’s the second unseeded player to lift the women’s singles trophy, after Belgian Kim Clijsters in 2005

• Collins has explained she was just “living the dream” right now 

The duo of the tournament? Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin won the doubles title of a tournament started as alternates. They had the last word against Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe (4-6, 7-6(5), 11-9).

MTO 
Andy Murray really didn’t deserve that

Some players would deserve a break, and yet they are still being denied. Andy Murray is now sidelined for an unknown period after the severe ankle injury he sustained at the Miami Open. If it all takes a turn for the worst, this injury could prove a cruel hurdle in the last stretch of Andy Murray’s career. Murray, who has already withdrawn from Monte-Carlo and Munich, has several options to go through, regarding treatments and scheduling. Obviously, all eyes are set on Wimbledon: will he be back on time? Fingers and toes crossed.

WHAT ELSE? 
Some break points…

• Talking about Wimbledon, how much would you be ready to pay for a top seat there? Well, I hope you can answer “a lot” or I’m going to have to dash your hopes… If you want to get a ticket in the same tier as the Royal Box, it will cost you a whopping 1,657£ ($2089), and this is a 45% increase. 🫠 

• “I play with lenses, and without lenses, I could probably not see the ball very good”, Jannik Sinner here, in a chat with Martina Navratilova, giving hope to everyone who both needs lenses and wants to become a tennis champion.

• Sports auctions are the next big thing if you believe Sotheby’s, who’s kind of the expert so… Demand is growing for collectibles worn by the (legendary) likes of Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Kobe Bryant. What would you want to get from your favorite tennis player? (Hit the reply button to let me know)

  

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• The WTA has returned to Chinese TV with Youku agreement, marking the Tour’s first Chinese broadcast deal since its boycott due to concerns over Peng Shuai’s safety. More than 80 tournaments will be streamed. It’s a three-year deal, that has also been signed by the ATP.

• Do you want to play tennis like the professional stars in Madrid without having access to the Caja Magica? No problem. The Masters 1000 (April 22 - May 5) is setting up a tennis court again in the city, on Plaza Mayor. Built to the ITF’s standards and replicating the courts of the Caja Magica, this will be available from April 6th to 26th. The court can be booked here ( 1 euro per hour).

EDITOR’S PICKS 
For your to-do list

• WATCH: 3 Body Problem on Netflix to get your brain cells confused but at work

• READ: A Gentleman in Moscow so you can then watch the first episode of the drama on Paramount+ in full knowledge. Be ready to feel all the feels! Loved that book so much: a gem. It’s also available on Audible*.

• KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS: Seems everyone wants to be a runner in 2024, so if it’s your case, you might want to research your running shoes options!

• KNOW your tennis rankings: You can’t go through a Monday without making sure you know Iga Swiatek is still the boss, Naomi Osaka is back in the top 200 and Grigor Dimitrov in the Top 10, or that Miami’s surprise Fabien Marozsan is now ranked 38.

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