“Korda handled pressure better in the closing games of the match”
Sebastian Korda produced a major upset at the Miami Open after defeating world number one Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the third round.
Alcaraz started slowly and struggled in the opening set, allowing Korda to take early control with strong serving and aggressive baseline play. The American looked sharp and confident as he dictated many of the early rallies.
Korda had a chance to close the match in straight sets when he served for it at 5-4 in the second set, but Alcaraz showed resilience, breaking back and eventually taking the set 7-5 to force a deciding set.
In the third set, both players fought intensely, with momentum swinging between them. However, Korda stayed composed in the key moments. A crucial break at 4-3 gave him the advantage after an error from Alcaraz, and he maintained his focus to hold serve and seal victory on his second match point.
The win marks one of the biggest achievements of Korda’s career and sends him into the fourth round of the Miami Open, while Alcaraz exits earlier than expected despite a strong fightback.