Sebastian Korda delivered a shock at the Miami Open on Sunday, beating world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to send the top-ranked player out in the third round. The result marks Korda’s first victory over a world No. 1 and follows Alcaraz’s second straight early exit in Miami. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka advanced and is set to face Zheng in the next round.
What Happened
Korda, ranked 36th in the world, upset Alcaraz in a three-set match played on Sunday, prevailing 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. The victory is the American’s first against a current world No. 1. For Alcaraz, the loss continues a run of surprising exits at the Miami Open: he was also eliminated early last year, falling to 55th-ranked David Goffin in the second round.
The headline result came alongside other moves in the draw: Aryna Sabalenka advanced and is scheduled to face a player identified as Zheng in the following round, keeping the women’s side of the tournament highly competitive.
Background
The Miami Open is one of the high-profile hard-court events on the professional calendar, carrying strong weight for both ATP and WTA players. Alcaraz entered Miami as the world No. 1 and had constructed an imposing record since his earlier defeat in the tournament last year. According to tournament reports, since that loss he amassed a 73-6 record and opened 2026 with a 16-0 start that included an Australian Open triumph.
Korda’s win is notable because victories over reigning world No. 1s are rare and can be pivotal career moments. His current ranking, 36th, underlines the magnitude of the upset: a mid-ranked player knocking out the tour’s top seed disrupts expectations and alters the path through the draw for other contenders.
Why It Matters
The upset matters on multiple levels. For the tournament, the early departure of the top seed opens the draw and increases opportunities for other contenders to make a deeper run. For Alcaraz, the loss interrupts an otherwise dominant stretch of results in 2026 and removes a clear favorite from the later rounds.
On the tour and for fans in Latin America and beyond, such results reshape narratives about momentum and form. Alcaraz’s Australian Open title and his 16-0 start to the season had set high expectations; an unexpected defeat in Miami will prompt questions about consistency and recovery as the season progresses. For Panama Daily readers, the development is part of a broader story about the volatility at elite levels of men’s tennis and how a single upset can influence ranking battles and marquee matchups at upcoming events.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka’s advancement and the impending match with Zheng add to the women’s tournament intrigue, suggesting both draws remain unpredictable as the Miami Open moves into its later stages.