CARLOS ALCARAZ SHOCKED BY SEBASTIAN KORDA AT MIAMI OPEN!
In one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, Carlos Alcaraz was knocked out of the Miami Open in the third round by American star Sebastian Korda.
The match began with both players holding serve comfortably, but Korda quickly found his rhythm. Utilizing his powerful baseline game and precise shot-making, the American managed to break Alcaraz early in the first set.
Despite flashes of brilliance from Alcaraz, including his trademark drop shots and explosive movement, Korda remained unfazed. The pivotal moment came midway through the second set when Korda broke Alcaraz’s serve to take a 4-2 lead. From that point, the American never looked back, closing out the match with confidence and composure. He capitalized on key break points and maintained a high first-serve percentage throughout the match with final score 6-4, 6-3.
Sebastian Korda’s ability to stay consistent under pressure proved decisive, while Alcaraz struggled with unforced errors at crucial moments.
WHAT’S NEXT?
For Alcaraz, the early exit is a disappointing result in a tournament where he was among the favorites. It raises questions about his form and fatigue as the clay season approaches. Alcaraz will now shift focus to upcoming tournaments, aiming to regain momentum ahead of the European clay-court swing.
On the other hand, Korda’s victory marks one of the biggest wins of his career and could serve as a springboard for a deep run in Miami. His performance highlighted not only his talent but also his ability to compete with the very best. Korda advances to the fourth round, where he will face with the winner of 14th-seeded Karen Khachanov versus qualifier Martin Landaluce.
At No. 36, Korda became the lowest-ranked man to beat Alcaraz since No. 55 David Goffin accomplished the feat in the second round in Miami last year, according to the ATP Tour.
After the match, Korda expressed satisfaction with his performance:
“I stayed focused, trusted my game, and took my chances when they came.”
Alcaraz, meanwhile, acknowledged his struggles:
“It was a tough match, obviously,” Alcaraz said. “I think [Korda] was incredible today. Played such a great game. A lot of tied moments that I just didn’t make the most of it, and I think he was better on points and moments.”
On the women’s side, No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 27 Marta Kostyuk.
No. 5 Jessica Pegula posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 26 Leylah Fernandez.
No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, No. 9 Elina Svitolina, No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova and No. 18 Iva Jovic were eliminated.
Paolini lost to No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, and Svitolina was knocked out by Hailey Baptiste in straight sets.