Sebastian Korda pulled off a stunning upset at the Miami Open, knocking out world number one Carlos Alcaraz with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory in the third round.
Ranked 36th globally, the American seized control early as Alcaraz struggled to find rhythm, claiming the opening set.
Although the Spaniard responded strongly to take the second, Korda showed resilience in the decider to secure what stands as the biggest win of his career.
The decisive moment came when Korda broke serve for a 4-3 lead in the final set after Alcaraz pushed a forehand wide.
From there, he maintained composure and converted his second match point to seal the memorable triumph.
Alcaraz, 22, had earlier mounted a comeback in the second set, breaking Korda to love when the American attempted to serve out the match, eventually forcing a third set.
However, he could not sustain that momentum as Korda regained control under pressure.
Despite the loss, Alcaraz expressed confidence in his progress ahead of the clay-court swing.
“I think the process has been good. Besides the loss today, I think I’m still in the right way,” he said. “Some things in previous tournaments that I just didn’t feel comfortable, I think in this tournament, I started to feel better and better.”
He also reflected on the mindset of lower-ranked opponents.
“I’m feeling they have more to win than to lose in those matches. They’re playing without pressure,” Alcaraz said, adding, “I’m not thinking about my pressure. I don’t feel it at all. I’m trying to play my best.”
For Korda, the victory was particularly significant, marking his first win over a world number one and his second success against Alcaraz in six meetings.
“It feels great,” he said after the match.
“I took the scenic route, that’s for sure, a little more stress than I would want but happy with how I played.” He added, “I kept believing. I got myself in some nasty situations, but I kept going and played really well in the end.”
Korda now advances to the fourth round, where he will face either Karen Khachanov or Martin Landaluce as he aims to better his previous performances at the tournament.
