Miami
Serena said to Cinna, “I wish I had your rights!”
The former WTA star praised the Italian and reunited with pal Dimitrov in Miami
March 30, 2024
Brennan Asplun/Getty Images
Author: ATPTour.com/es Staff
Could Serena’s words of wisdom help decide the outcome of Sunday’s Miami Open championship in Itau?
Jannik Sinner and Grigor Dimitrov will compete for the ATP Masters 1000 trophy, and neither player will have to look far back to remember some inspiring words from tennis royalty .
Former WTA world No. 1, 23-time Grand Slam champion and eight-time Miami champion Serena Williams met both players backstage after Friday’s semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium. Williams was full of praise for Sinner, who won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.
“I wish my forehand was like that,” Williams told PIF ATP No. 3 Sinner. “Honestly, the speed of the bat, the power, I was like, ‘Wow, night and day’. You were amazing. Congratulations Australia.”
Williams was speaking after watching Sinner beat defending champion Daniil Medvedev 6-1 6-2 to reach the Miami championship for the third time.
Awaiting the 22-year-old Italian in the final will be Dimitrov, who reunited with his old friend Williams after defeating Alexander Zverev in three sets in the second semi-final of the day. “She’s amazing. We stay in touch,” Dimitrov said of Serena at the postgame press conference. “We talked almost every day. He said, ‘I’m coming to see you.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ It’s always very humbling to have someone by your side who is so supportive.”
“I remember when I won my first match against the top 10 right here. It was a really good moment. I think we all remember it. It’s friendship. I think it’s the best. Tennis is tennis. , but, you know, we’re living our dream now. I think real life starts later and I think we have become such good and close friends after all these years. “
Although Dimitrov will control his own destiny in his fourth Lexus ATP showdown with red-hot Sinner, the Bulgarian admits that friendships like the one he has with Serena are important in helping him navigate the competition. Big stage.
“Being able to support each other and share thoughts, ideas and sometimes even vent to people who are actually playing tennis… it helps,” he said.