MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jannik Sinner rolled to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jiri Lehecka to capture the Miami Open title and complete the “Sunshine Double’’ on Sunday, a day after Aryna Sabalenka accomplished the same feat in a win over Coco Gauff.
The last male player to complete the double — winning Indian Wells followed by Miami in the same season — was Roger Federer in 2017. Sinner is the first male to do so without dropping a set in either tournament.
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Jannik Sinner of Italy, center, hosts the Butch Buchholz trophy after defeating Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, second right, in the men's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jannik Sinner of Italy walks on the court after serving an ace against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the men's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic enters the court at the start of his men's singles final against Jannik Sinner of Italy, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic plays a ball in his men's singles final against Jannik Sinner of Italy, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates after defeating Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the men's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
“It’s very, very special moment,’’ Sinner said. “Coming here, performing in a good way after Indian Wells, means a lot to me. Physically, it’s tough when you come here (from California). You’re a little bit tired, but the motivation is very high.’’
The second-seeded Sinner didn't let either of the two 90-minute rain delays slow him. He notched 10 aces in the final, and 70 in the tournament for the second-most of his career. He often had No. 21 Lehecka running from side to side with his precise, deep groundstrokes.
Sinner, 24, won his first 23 first-service points — a streak that lasted midway into the second set.
He became the eighth male to run the table at Indian Wells and Miami, and he and Sabalenka became the first to accomplish the double in the same year since Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka in 2016.
This was Sinner's second Miami Open title in three years as he ran his Hard Rock Stadium win streak to 12 matches dating to 2024. Last year, he missed the tournament serving a suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
“It has been on my mind,’’ Sinner said on Tennis Channel of missing last year’s events. “I missed these type of tournaments. These are very important weeks.’’
Lehecka, 24, in his first ATP 1000 final, was a big underdog, losing all three prior matches to Sinner.
Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz was upset by Sebastian Korda in three sets in the third round, and Djokovic skipped the event due to a right shoulder ailment.
The rain pushed the earlier women’s doubles final to the grandstand court. The doubles was won by Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, who beat Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 7-6 (7-0), 6-1. Townsend-Siniakova also claimed the double for women’s doubles — the first time since 2019.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Jannik Sinner of Italy, center, hosts the Butch Buchholz trophy after defeating Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, second right, in the men's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jannik Sinner of Italy walks on the court after serving an ace against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the men's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic enters the court at the start of his men's singles final against Jannik Sinner of Italy, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic plays a ball in his men's singles final against Jannik Sinner of Italy, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates after defeating Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the men's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Braylon Mullins sank a desperation 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to give UConn an astonishing 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke on Sunday, earning the Huskies a spot in the Final Four after they rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit.
The Blue Devils (35-3) led by three before UConn's Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left. With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer's pass near midcourt was deflected by Demary, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins swished a 3 from 35 feet away.
It's the second straight season to end in a huge collapse for Duke, which was the top overall seed in this year's tournament. The Blue Devils led by six with 1:14 remaining before falling to Houston in last year's national semifinals.
UConn (33-5) missed 17 of its first 18 attempts from 3-point range and finished 5 for 23. The fifth will be remembered in Connecticut for generations.
The Huskies are trying to win a national title for the third time in four seasons, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since UCLA in the 1970s. UConn now faces third-seeded Illinois in Saturday's semifinal in Indianapolis.
To get there, the Huskies needed one of the biggest comebacks in regional final history. Only Louisville, which came from 20 down to beat West Virginia in 2005, had a bigger one. Duke led 44-25 late in the first half and 44-29 at the break. That's now the largest halftime lead in tournament history blown by a No. 1 seed.
Cameron Boozer, who had 27 points for the Blue Devils, fought his way to a basket inside with 28.9 seconds to play, and the next UConn possession used precious time before Demary was fouled.
After he made one of two, the inbound came to Cameron Boozer, who passed out of a double team to Dame Sarr, who then found Cameron's twin brother, Cayden, in the middle of the could. Instead of waiting to be fouled, Cayden Boozer — who shoots about 81% from the line — tried for one more pass.
There were two Duke players alone behind the UConn defense, but Demary was able to deflect the ball and Mullins recovered it near midcourt. He passed to Alex Karaban, who gave it back to Mullins. The freshman was in rhythm, but about halfway between the 3-point arc and half court.
Nothing but net.
It’ll go down alongside the great NCAA Tournament game-winning shots, next to Christian Laettner’s for Duke in the 1992 Elite Eight against Kentucky. Or Laettner’s shot in the 1990 regional final — which turned another Duke-UConn classic from a loss into a win for the Blue Devils.
UConn has now won 18 consecutive games in the Sweet 16 or subsequent rounds. The last loss for the Huskies in those stages of the tournament came against Michigan State in the 2009 Final Four.
For all the success Duke has had through the years, the Blue Devils have now had hearts broken by UConn three straight times in the Big Dance. The Huskies beat one of Duke's greatest teams in the 1999 title game and rallied late to beat the Blue Devils in the 2004 semifinals.
This one was a gut punch very much on par with those.
Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 26 points, and for a while he had little help offensively. The Huskies gradually cut into their deficit in the second half, though, and a 3 by Karaban pulled them within one with under a minute left.
UConn: The Huskies have met Illinois in the NCAA Tournament once. UConn won 77-52 in the Elite Eight in 2024.
Duke: The Blue Devils are expected to lose Cameron Boozer to the NBA.
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
UConn guard Braylon Mullins celebrates his game-winning basket against Duke during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
UConn guard Braylon Mullins (24) reacts with teammates after scoring the winning basket against Duke in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
UConn guard Braylon Mullins, right, celebrates his game winning basketball with teammates after the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Duke players react to their loss against UConn in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
UConn guard Braylon Mullins, right, celebrates his game winning basket with guard Malachi Smith (0) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Duke, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
UConn guard Braylon Mullins (24) scores the winning basket during the second half against Duke in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
