World number one Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock third-round exit at the Miami Open after a hard-fought 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 defeat to American Sebastian Korda.
Top seed Alcaraz, 22, endured a sluggish start, allowing Korda to seize control of the opening set. Although the Spaniard rallied in the second, the match swung dramatically as Korda faltered while serving for victory at 5-4, only to be broken to love. Alcaraz capitalised, claiming the next two games to force a decider.
However, Korda showed impressive composure in the third set. With the contest finely balanced, he secured a crucial break for 4-3 after Alcaraz pushed a forehand wide. The world number 36 then held firm on serve, sealing a landmark victory on his second match point when Alcaraz overhit a return.
Despite the defeat, Alcaraz struck an optimistic tone, insisting his form is trending in the right direction ahead of the clay-court season.
“I think the process has been good. Besides the loss today, I think I’m still on the right path,” he said.
“In previous tournaments there were things I didn’t feel comfortable with, but here I started to feel better and better.”
He also acknowledged the challenge posed by lower-ranked opponents, who often play with greater freedom.
“They have more to win than to lose in these matches. They play without pressure,” he added. “I’m just trying to focus on my own game and perform at my best.”
For Korda, 25, the victory marks the biggest of his career, as he defeated a world number one for the first time. He becomes the lowest-ranked player to beat Alcaraz since David Goffin achieved a similar feat in Miami last year.
Alcaraz had enjoyed a strong start to the season, lifting his seventh Grand Slam title at the Australian Open before suffering his first defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals at Indian Wells.
Korda, who previously reached the Miami quarter-finals in 2021 and 2025, will now face either Karen Khachanov or Martin Landaluce in the fourth round.
“It feels great,” Korda said after the match, which lasted two hours and 19 minutes. “I took the scenic route – a bit more stress than I would have liked – but I’m really happy with how I played.
“I kept believing. I got myself into some tough situations, but I stayed strong and finished well.”
