Miami Open: Who is American tennis star Sebastian Korda?
What's the story
American tennis star Sebastian Korda defeated world Carlos Alcaraz in the 2026 Miami Open third round on Sunday. In a major upset, Korda won 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 after over two hours. He prevailed after losing five successive games in the second set. Notably, Korda became only the sixth American man to beat a world number one since 2015. Have a look at his journey.
Context
Why does this story matter?
To beat an in-form Carlos Alcaraz, who recently completed the Career Grand Slam, is no mean feat. Moreover, Korda entered the 2026 Miami Open as the 36th-ranked player. According to ATP, Korda is the lowest-ranked man to defeat Alcaraz since 2025, when David Goffin (55th) stunned the Spaniard in Miami. Korda joined Daniil Medvedev as the only two men to beat Alcaraz this year.
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Three titles; son of former player
Earlier at the 2026 Miami Open, Korda beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the Round of 64. Notably, Sebastian is the son of Petr Korda, the former world number two. The latter won 10 ATP titles in his career. Meanwhile, Sebastian currently has three ATP titles, the second of which came in 2024 (Washington). His father also won this title in 1992.
Information
Over 150 ATP wins
Sebastian Korda, who made his ATP main draw debut in 2018, has a career win-loss record of 159-102. His first title came in May 2021 at the Emilia-Romagna Open. Korda reached his career-high ATP singles ranking of 15th in 2024.