Quarterfinal competition at the Miami Masters concludes Thursday, when No. 2 Jannik Sinner against Frances Tiafoe. Francisco Cerundolo tries to save his last match against Alexander Zverev.
(19) Frances Tiafoe vs. (2) Jannik Sinner
With Carlos Alcaraz and a host of other top 10 players out of the tournament, Sinner is the heavy favorite to win a second consecutive Miami Open title (he won it in 2024 before missing last year’s event due to suspension). The offender had no trouble avoiding the upset, defeating Damir Dzumhur, Cotentin Moutet, and Alex Michelsen – although the Italian was pushed 7-5, 7-6(4) by Michelsen.
Tiafoe, meanwhile, took a scenic route to the last eight in South Beach – setting up a sixth game against Sinner on Thursday. After eliminating Arthur Cazaux 7-6(1), 6-1, the 20th-ranked American saved two points to beat defending champion Jakub Mensik 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(11) and held off Terence Atmane 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. Tiafoe got the best of Sinner at the 2021 Vienna event, but the world No. 2 leads their head-to-head series 4-1 after a recent 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory in the 2024 Cincinnati final. Anything but another outright win for Sinner would be a huge surprise.
Choose: Sinner in 2
(18) Francisco Cerundolo vs. (3) Alexander Zverev
Zverev and Cerundolo will be facing each other for the seventh time in their careers on Thursday. They have split their last seven meetings with three wins each, but that doesn’t tell the real story. Since losing their first three matches, Zverev has not dropped a single set against Cerundolo. They have already met once in 2026, when the German cruised 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Cerundolo is simply amazing in Miami. This is his fifth appearance and fourth trip to the quarterfinals – including a semifinal appearance in 2022. However, this setting probably doesn’t solve all of Argentina’s struggles against the forwards. Yes, he has beaten Zverev three times before – but these were all formative. Cerundolo has never beaten a top five opponent other than Zverev and Casper Ruud. Zverev will come off a semi-final result in Indian Wells and should advance to at least the same stage in the second leg of the Sunshine Double.
Pick: Zverev at 2
