Miami: Youth and upsets steal the spotlight

Korda stuns the world No.1 and will face Landaluce next

After months marked by injuries and fluctuating form, Sebastian Korda once again proved how comfortable he feels on Florida soil. A quarter-finalist last year (stopped by Novak Djokovic), the American produced a shockwave on Tuesday night by taking out world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the third round. The win came in three intense sets, despite losing five consecutive games between the end of the second set and the start of the third (6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in 2h19).

"There was a little more stress than I would want, but I’m happy with how I played, happy with how I stayed with it. I kept believing. I got myself in some nasty situations, but I kept going and played really well in the end," he said after his victory."I’ve gone through a lot of things. I’ve played a lot of great players but haven’t always been able to get it done. I felt when I was playing these top players, I was just spraying the ball and trying to do too much."

Champion in Melbourne and then in Doha, Alcaraz arrived in Miami after a 16‑match winning streak, only stopped in the Indian Wells semi-finals by a resurgent Daniil Medvedev. He leaves Florida with a remarkable 17–2 start to the season and a clear goal: to recharge before starting the clay swing, where he has a mountain of points and titles to defend. "All of a sudden I just [have to get] back on track, go back on the court," explained the reigning Monte‑Carlo, Rome and Roland‑Garros champion. "The clay season is around the corner. I have really good tournaments that I am just excited about playing there. My mind right now is to take some days off, to reset my mind, reset the batteries, and be ready in good shape for the clay season."

Korda will now face another Spaniard whose run is just as surprising as it is deserved: Martin Landaluce. Long regarded as one of the most promising young players, the 2022 US Open boys’ champion had only won two ATP matches in his career before this week (for 14 losses). After qualifying, he defeated Marcos Giron, Luciano Darderi and Karen Khachanov back‑to‑back. With 25 winners and 78% of points won behind his first serve in his last match, the 20‑year‑old arrives brimming with confidence. Whatever happens next, the Madrid native is certain to make a significant leap in the rankings next Monday.

➡️ The full men’s singles draw

Gibson shines again

There were upsets in the women’s draw too, starting with Iga Swiatek’s second‑round defeat to fellow Pole Magda Linette. But the player stealing the spotlight is another qualifier: Talia Gibson.

The Australian has been producing extraordinary tennis in recent weeks. Before her run to the Indian Wells quarter-finals – a stunning streak punctuated by wins over Top‑20 players Ekaterina Alexandrova, Clara Tauson and Jasmine Paolini – she was No.112 in the world and had only three tour‑level wins to her name. She immediately backed up that breakthrough in Miami with a spot in the last sixteen, thanks to victories over Sara Bejlek, Naomi Osaka and Iva Jovic, all in straight sets. "I was able to draw on some experiences from Indian Wells to stay calm," she said after her victory against the multiple Grand Slam champion. "It's been really cool to see what I'm capable of, and it's really exciting for me."

Having won 11 of her last 12 matches, Gibson is guaranteed to become Australian No.1 next week and will edge much closer to the Top 50. But her biggest challenge is still to come: a quarter-final showdown with Elena Rybakina, with the chance to complete an astonishing WTA 1000 quarters back‑to‑back.

➡️ The full women’s singles draw

French corner: Fils is truly back

After missing most of the 2025 season with a persistent back injury, Arthur Fils is once again making headlines. Finalist in Doha and quarter-finalist in Indian Wells, the young Frenchman crushed Stefanos Tsitsipas last night (6–0, 6–1 in 55 minutes), even though the Greek had just upset Alex de Minaur.

"That's one of the best matches I've ever played," he said afterward. "I have played some great matches before, but this level was insane. I don't know what to say, but very happy with the performance. I am fully back. It feels like I never left. It feels very, very good." He will face next Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot, who won against Matteo Berrettini. Several French players could join him in the round of 16: Ugo Humbert, Quentin Halys, Terence Atmane and Corentin Moutet, though the latter faces the daunting task of taking on Jannik Sinner. French tennis also celebrated a remarkable milestone: Moïse Kouame, just 17 years old, became the youngest player ever to win a match in Miami and the youngest to triumph at a Masters 1000 since Rafael Nadal in 2003. Not too bad…