"Wish I had my forehand like that; You're unbelievable" - Serena Williams' effusive praise brings a smile to Jannik Sinner's face after Miami SF win

Serena Williams was left highly impressed with Jannik Sinner's prowess after witnessing him in action at the 2024 Miami Open.

Last year's runner-up avenged his loss to Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 Miami Open final in dominant fashion. Sinner beat the Russian 6-1, 6-2 in just one hour and nine minutes to reach his second consecutive final at the Masters 1000 event.

The Italian, who suffered losses in his first six meetings against the World No. 4, has narrowed their head-to-head record to 6-5, having emerged victorious in their last five encounters.

Serena Williams was in attendance for Jannik Sinner's comprehensive win, and the duo had a chance to catch up after the encounter. The 23-time Grand Slam champion lauded the Italian's forehand, expressing her wish to possess a similar shot.

"I wish I had my forehand like that," she said.

While the World No. 3 responded with humility, the American's praise left him grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't say that," he replied with a smile.

Williams continued to gush over Sinner's forehand, hailing his "unbelievable" skills and congratulating him on his remarkable victory.

"No seriously, the racquet speed, the power, I was like, 'Wow! Night and day, you're unbelievable. Congratulations," Williams said.

Jannik Sinner himself expressed satisfaction with his performance in the semifinal, taking pleasure in his improved serve and tactical execution, in particular.

"Yeah, for sure. I feel like I have many more solutions to put also on the court. The serve has always been, for me, the toughest shot to improve, but also because physically I was not ready to play in this kind of pace and precision," he said in his post-match press conference.

"So, yeah, for sure this, but maybe also other, you know, tactical side was also much better today," he added.

Jannik Sinner to face Grigor Dimitrov or Alexander Zverev in Miami Open final

Jannik Sinner

Following his win over Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner will be up against the winner of the blockbuster semifinal showdown between Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open final.

Sinner has emerged victorious in two of his three encounters against Dimitrov, including a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win in their most recent clash in the 2023 China Open quarterfinals. Zverev, meanwhile, enjoys a 4-1 winning record against the Italian, having won their last four meetings.

If Sinner wins the Miami Open, he will surpass Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings to secure a career-high ranking of World No. 2.