Sebastian Korda Shocks World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at Miami Open
Korda's Stunning Upset
In a remarkable turn of events, Sebastian Korda eliminated World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz from the 2026 Miami Open during the Round of 32 on Sunday, March 22. The match, held at Hard Rock Stadium, was a thrilling three-set battle. Korda, seeded 32nd, advanced to the Round of 16, aiming for his first ATP 1000 Masters title. He achieved a rare milestone, becoming only the third player in tennis history to accomplish this feat.
Korda started strong, winning the first set 6-3 and seemed poised for victory as he served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. However, Alcaraz staged a comeback, breaking Korda's serve twice to take the second set. Undeterred, Korda clinched the final set 6-4, marking his second win over the seven-time Grand Slam champion, having previously defeated him at the 2022 Monte Carlo Masters.
Historic Achievement for Korda
Sebastian Korda Created History
Korda's victory is significant as it marks only the third instance of a 32nd seed defeating the top seed in an ATP Masters 1000 event since the format began in 1990. Notably, all three occurrences have taken place in Miami during the third round. Rafael Nadal is the only player in the 21st century to achieve this, doing so in his first match against Roger Federer, which ignited one of tennis' greatest rivalries.
Instances Of 32nd Seed Beating 1st Seed In ATP Masters 1000 Events
| 32nd Seed | 1st Seed | Result | Tournament | Round |
| Wayne Ferreira | Pete Sampras | 0-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 | Miami Open 1998 | Third Round |
| Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | 6-3, 6-3 | Miami Open 2004 | Third Round |
| Sebastian Korda | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 | Miami Open 2026 | Third Round |
*source - Opta Ace
This defeat marks the second time Alcaraz has exited in the Round of 32 at an ATP Masters 1000 event, having previously lost at the 2025 ATP Paris Masters to unseeded Cameron Norrie, despite winning the first set.