MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Carlos Alcaraz faced a surprising exit from the Miami Open, losing to Sebastian Korda in the third round. The match ended with scores of 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 after two hours and 19 minutes.
Alcaraz, the top-ranked player and a recent Australian Open champion, now has a record of 17 wins and 2 losses this season. He previously lost to Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semifinals.
In a tense match, Korda served for the win at 5-4 in the second set but Alcaraz fought back, winning five games in a row. Yet, Korda regained his focus and ultimately secured the victory. Alcaraz praised Korda’s performance, saying, “He was incredible today.” He acknowledged missing crucial points during the match.
This victory made Korda the lowest-ranked player, at No. 36, to beat Alcaraz since No. 55 David Goffin did last year at the same tournament.
Korda commented on the importance of belief in his game, saying, “It was all about believing and committing to every shot.” His next challenge will be against qualifier Martin Landaluce, who won against 14th-seeded Karen Khachanov.
Other Americans advancing include Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul. Fritz defeated Reilly Opelka, while Paul edged out Raphael Collignon in a close match.
On the women’s side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Catherine McNally, and No. 3 Elena Rybakina beat Marta Kostyuk. However, several higher-seeded players, including No. 7 Jasmine Paolini and No. 9 Elina Svitolina, were eliminated.
This tournament has seen various upsets, and it reflects a growing trend in tennis where new players are emerging and challenging established stars. Expert analysis suggests this shift may lead to a more competitive landscape in future tournaments.
For more tennis updates, check out AP Tennis.
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