Carlos Alcaraz’s Miami Open run came to an abrupt end on Sunday, when American Sebastian Korda produced the biggest upset of the tournament so far, beating the world No. 1 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the third round. The result sent Korda into the round of 16 and instantly reshaped the men’s draw in South Florida.
For much of the afternoon, Korda looked like the steadier and more decisive player. He served with authority, attacked early in rallies, and mixed in net play effectively to keep Alcaraz from settling into his usual rhythm. Korda won the opening set 6-3 and then moved within a game of the match in the second before Alcaraz pushed back to force a decider.
That might have been the moment when the match slipped away from many players. Instead, Korda regrouped. He broke Alcaraz for a 4-3 lead in the third set, stayed aggressive under pressure, and closed out the biggest win of his career with an unreturnable serve.
The loss was a notable setback for Alcaraz, who arrived in Miami as the top seed and one of the clear title favorites. It was only his second defeat of the season. Rather than carrying momentum deeper into Miami, the Spaniard now turns his attention toward the clay-court swing, where expectations will again be high.
Korda’s win did more than eliminate the No. 1 seed. It opened a section of the draw that now feels far more accessible. His next opponent will be Spain’s Martin Landaluce, who continued his own breakout week by defeating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(2) for his first appearance in the fourth round of a Masters 1000 event.
Sunday’s action in Miami was not only about the men’s draw. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka advanced with a straight-sets win over Caty McNally and set up a round-of-16 meeting with Zheng Qinwen, who rallied past Madison Keys. The day also saw Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina move on, giving the women’s bracket a strong set of heavyweight names heading into the next stage of the tournament.
But the headline from March 22 was unmistakable. Alcaraz was the biggest star on court, and Korda was the player who walked away with the statement win. For an American contender who has long been viewed as a dangerous talent, this felt like one of those victories that can shift both a tournament and a season. That last point is an inference based on the scale of the upset and the stage on which it happened.
