TennisSection previews the 2021 Miami Open as Karen Khachanov (14) meets Jannik Sinner (21) in the Third Round on Sunday March 28th, 2021.
A very exciting encounter awaits us in the Third Round of the 2021 Miami Open, as Russian Karen Khachanov faces Jannik Sinner. This match is between two of the best players in the world and seems to be the pick of the Third Round matches here. Both players are very aggressive baseline players so regardless of the outcome it will be a fantastic spectacle for the fans. Who will win and advance to the Round of 16 here in Miami? Will it be the Russian star Khachanov who is finally rediscovering his form? Or the young star Jannik Sinner who has turned heads recently with his spectacular play?
Karen Khachanov is the fourteenth seed here at the 2021 Miami Open, and is currently ranked #22 in the ATP Rankings. Once ranked as high as #8 in the world, he has seen his ranking decline over the past few years due to a string of disappointing performances. He will undoubtedly be hoping for a deep run here to get his career on track, but has traditionally struggled here in Miami, never advancing past the Third Round. A win here will take him to the Round of 16 here for the first time, but he has been drawn against a very difficult opponent in Jannik Sinner, considered by many to be a future Grand Slam champion. Khachanov was very impressive in his Second Round win over Yannick Hanfmann, hitting winners seemingly at will, winning 6-3, 6-2, and will carry that momentum into the Third Round.
Jannik Sinner is a player that is destined for big things, and has been showing signs of a future superstar in recent times. Already the holder of two ATP titles at the young age of 19, he is ranked a career-high #31 and his trajectory is firmly pointing up. He cruised past Frenchman Hugo Gaston in the First Round here at the 2021 Miami Open, and is bursting with confidence. Despite his young age and his opponent having a higher ranking, he enters this match as a slight favorite, due to his superior form of late. Incredibly, this will be his debut in Miami and he has no points to defend. A strong performance here this week can catapult him into the top 25, and will surely be a big motivation for him heading into this encounter.
One thing is for sure, this will be a very entertaining match for the fans. Both players play a very exciting and aggressive brand of tennis, and here at the 2021 Miami Open will be no different. They have played each other twice before in their careers, and the head to head is tied 1-1. This is shaping up to be a very close match, but I am giving the edge to the young Italian Jannik Sinner. Karen Khachanov has a huge advantage in experience, but the 19 year old is very mature for his age, never seeming to get flustered or upset when on court. He has been tremendous so far this year, and is rapidly improving. The Russian is a very good player but has been struggling with confidence, and is not as dangerous of an opponent he once was. It will certainly be close, but expect Jannik Sinner to advance here at the 2021 Miami Open with a hard-fought win.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Jannik Sinner to win in three sets.
Want more Free Tennis Picks from our Experts? Check out our latest Tennis Predictions now!
