Francisco Cerúndolo delivered the biggest surprise of the day at the Miami Open on March 23, knocking out former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 in one of the tournament’s most dramatic results so far.
The Argentine’s win headlined a day that also saw Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Alexander Zverev all continue their runs as the draw tightened heading into the business end of the event.
Cerúndolo’s upset stood out not just because of the opponent, but because of the way it unfolded. He tore through the opening set 6-0, lost momentum in the second, then regrouped in the decider to close out one of the best matches of the round.
Cerúndolo’s first top-10 win of the 2026 season, while the ATP noted that he has now reached the fourth round in Miami for the fourth time in five appearances, underlining just how comfortable he has become on these courts. He now moves on to face Ugo Humbert in the round of 16.
If Cerúndolo provided the upset, Sinner provided the sense of inevitability. The Italian beat Corentin Moutet 6-1, 6-4 and, in the process, set a new Masters 1000 record with 26 consecutive sets won at that level.
ATP Tour coverage said the streak stretches back to last November in Paris and includes his title run at Indian Wells earlier this month. Sinner has now won 13 straight Masters 1000 matches and looks every bit like a player building momentum toward another deep run.
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Alexander Zverev stayed on course with a three-set win over Marin Cilic, while Frances Tiafoe survived one of the wildest matches of the day by saving two match points before edging defending champion Jakub Mensik in a final-set tiebreak.
The ATP’s Monday results page listed both wins among the key outcomes from a men’s side that has begun to open up after several seeded exits. Carlos Alcaraz had already been knocked out the previous day, which only added to the sense that opportunities are widening in Miami’s second week.
On the women’s side, the story was about contenders continuing to separate themselves from the field. Sabalenka moved into the quarterfinals with a straight-sets win over Zheng Qinwen, improving again in a matchup she has largely controlled.
Coco Gauff reached her first Miami Open quarterfinal by beating Sorana Cirstea in three sets, while Jessica Pegula advanced comfortably past Jaqueline Cristian. Elena Rybakina also moved on, setting up one of the standout quarterfinal matchups against Pegula.
Another of the day’s notable storylines came from Victoria Mboko, whose rise continued with a three-set win over Mirra Andreeva. Yet another milestone in an already fast-moving 2026 season for the Canadian teenager, who followed that result by setting up a quarterfinal against Karolina Muchova. Muchova, for her part, had little trouble in her match, beating Alexandra Eala 6-0, 6-2.
Taken together, Monday’s results sharpened the shape of the tournament. On the ATP side, Sinner continues to look like the most stable force left in the draw, but Cerúndolo’s win over Medvedev was a reminder that Miami can still produce sudden shifts. Zverev and Tiafoe remain in the mix, and with Alcaraz already gone, the bottom half feels more vulnerable than it did a few days ago.
On the WTA side, the quarterfinal field now has a strong mix of established contenders and emerging names. Sabalenka, Gauff, Pegula and Rybakina all advanced, but Mboko’s breakout run adds a fresh note to a tournament that has already seen several young players force their way into the conversation. Muchova’s form also gives her a real chance to disrupt the favorites if she keeps this level.
The broader takeaway from March 23 is that the Miami Open is now fully in second-week mode. The draws are no longer just sorting themselves out. They are beginning to define the real contenders, the live outsiders and the possible semifinal paths. Cerúndolo gave the day its biggest jolt.
Sinner kept building a historic run. Sabalenka and Gauff kept pace on the women’s side. And with the quarterfinals coming into view, the tournament now feels like it has shifted from early-round intrigue into something sharper and more consequential.
