Miami Open: Sebastian Korda sets records by upsetting Carlos Alcaraz
What's the story
In a stunning upset, Sebastian Korda defeated world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the 2026 Miami Open third round. The match was a rollercoaster, with Korda winning 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 after over two hours. He prevailed after losing five successive games in the second set. According to ATP, Korda became only the sixth American man to beat a world number one since 2015.
Match details
Match summary and stats
Korda dominated Alcaraz early in the first set and straightforwardly won 6-3. The second set was neck-to-neck, but the American served for the match at 5-4. However, Alcaraz broke him to bounce back and enforced a third set. Although the Spaniard upped the ante, Korda broke at 4-3 before winning 6-4. Korda fired 12 aces throughout the match. He also converted three of his five break points.
Record
Fifth American with this milestone
According to Opta, Korda is the fifth American man to defeat the world number one at the Miami Open. He joined David Wheaton, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, and Andy Roddick on this elite list. Notably, Korda also became the first player born in Florida (Bradenton) to do so since the tournament began in 1985. He is also the sixth American man to beat a world number one since 2015.
Information
Korda joins Ferreira, Nadal
As per Opta, Korda has become the third 32nd seed to beat the top seed at a Masters 1000 event. He joined Wayne Ferreira (1998) and Rafael Nadal (2004), each of whom attained the feat at the Miami Open.
Clash
Korda to face Martin Landaluce
Korda won only his second ATP match against Alcaraz, who claimed the Australian Open title in January. However, the head-to-head record is still 4-2 in favor of the Spaniard. Korda, who reached the Miami Open quarter-finals in 2021 and 2025, will now face 20-year-old qualifier Martin Landaluce in the fourth round.