In a stunning upset at the Miami Open, rising American tennis talent Sebastian Korda has delivered the victory of his career, toppling world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in a tense third-round clash. The 25-year-old Korda, fresh from winning the Delray Beach Open last month, showcased remarkable resilience to secure a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 triumph over the Spanish superstar in a match lasting two hours and nineteen minutes.
A Hard-Fought Battle on the Court
Korda appeared poised for a straight-sets win when he served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. However, Alcaraz, the 22-year-old who completed a career Grand Slam with his Australian Open victory in January, mounted a fierce comeback, winning five consecutive games to force a deciding third set. Demonstrating impressive mental fortitude, Korda regrouped and closed out the victory, handing Alcaraz only his second loss of the season, bringing his record to 17-2.
Historic Achievement for American Tennis
Ranked No.36, Korda became the lowest-ranked player to defeat Alcaraz since David Goffin, ranked No.55, achieved the feat in Miami last year, according to ATP Tour statistics. Remarkably, Korda is just the sixth American man to beat a world No.1 since 2015, joining an elite group of compatriots.
Reflecting on the rollercoaster match, Korda told ATPTour.com, 'I took the scenic route, that's for sure. There was a little more stress than I would want, but I'm happy with how I played, happy with how I stayed with it. I kept believing. I got myself in some nasty situations, but I kept going and played really well in the end.'
Coaching Influence and Personal Growth
Following his win, Korda credited new coach Ryan Harrison for his recent surge in form, which comes after a challenging 2025 marred by injuries. 'It was a lot of soul searching,' Korda admitted. 'I've gone through a lot of things. I've played a lot of great players but haven't always been able to get it done. I felt when I was playing these top players, I was just spraying the ball and trying to do too much. I sat down with Ryan, and our goal today was to play average, to not try and do too much with it.'
American Contingent Advances in Miami
Korda was not the only American to shine in the fourth round. Taylor Fritz, the sixth seed, defeated Reilly Opelka 6-3, 6-4, while No.22 seed Tommy Paul, whom Korda beat in the Delray Beach Open final, overcame Raphael Collignon with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory. Other winners included No.21 Jiri Lehecka and No.29 Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Women's Draw Sees Mixed Results
On the women's side, No.3 seed Elena Rybakina advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over No.27 Marta Kostyuk, and No.5 Jessica Pegula posted a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory against No.26 Leylah Fernandez. However, the tournament saw several upsets, with No.7 Jasmine Paolini falling to No.25 Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, and No.9 Elina Svitolina being knocked out by Hailey Baptiste in straight sets. No.11 Ekaterina Alexandrova and No.18 Iva Jovic were also eliminated.
Next, Korda will face the winner of the match between 14th-seeded Karen Khachanov and qualifier Martin Landaluce, as he continues his impressive run at the Miami Open, bolstered by this career-defining win over the world's top-ranked player.
