Sebastian Korda Outlines Strategy Used in Stunning Carlos Alcaraz at the Miami Open
Sebastian Korda beats Carlos Alcaraz for the second time on tour at the Miami Open.
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Sebastian Korda and Carlos Alcaraz (via X/The Tennis Letter)
Sebastian Korda produced one of the defining results of the Miami Open, beating World No.1 and top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the third round. The American star controlled the key phases of the match, particularly in the third set, forcing Alcaraz to make uncharacteristic errors. He has explained in detail how he approached the match on Sunday (March 22).
Since winning the Miami Open in 2022, winning has become difficult for the Spaniard in South Florida. He had lost to David Goffin at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament last year in the second round after a disappointing exit in the semi-finals of the Indian Wells. He looked bright in his opening match in Miami this season, beating Joao Fonseca in straight sets.
But against Korda in the third round, the 22-year-old failed to deliver the kind of performance he usually gave in his golden days. He struggled with Korda’s serve throughout the match, allowing the American star to use the weapon against him. Alcaraz also lost free points on the court, something that has cautiously removed him from his game this season.
Nonetheless, Korda’s measured approach and focus in the match need to be applauded. He controlled the high-pressure moments with his high-risk forehand shots in addition to his reduced tendency to overplay points, which would have given Alcaraz the momentum. He won 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to seal his place in the fourth round.
Korda, who has not had a consistent performance this season, noted during his post-match press conference on Tennis Channel that he repeatedly told himself to believe in his game before going into the match. The American also emphasized maintaining the same mental structure throughout the match regardless of the momentum:
The aim was commitment and belief. I was reading my Bible this morning, Mark 9:23 — ‘Anyone who believes, all is possible.’ That was the only thing I was thinking about the whole time. When I was playing these top guys, I was spraying a little bit too much. I was going for things I don’t really need to. I tried to be more, in a way, average — not trying to hit screamers out of nowhere, just using the pace on my ball and being committed.
Alcaraz will have to go back to the drawing board ahead of the clay-court season. It was in April last year that he experienced a turnaround, winning seven titles in the next eight months, including two Grand Slams. He also claimed the World No.1 position, overtaking his rival Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz will have to do more to achieve the same height this season.
Carlos Alcaraz says his loss at the Miami Open may be down to pressure
World No.36 Sebastian Korda became the lowest-ranked player to beat Carlos Alcaraz since David Goffin, ranked World No.55 defeated the Spaniard at the Miami Open last year. Alcaraz, who was the favorite to win the match, failed to take his chances and control the match, giving Korda space to make the tie harder than expected.
However, that may be down to pressure on Alcaraz. With his arch-rival Jannik Sinner pushing to reclaim the World No 1 spot, Alcaraz seems to be making mistakes on the court. During Alcaraz’s press conference, he noted that he felt more pressured than Korda during the disappointing loss in Miami:
Well, I think that’s evident when you find yourself in that situation. It’s obvious that when you’re winning tournaments and have a great win-loss record, everything becomes easier in terms of the pressure felt by opponents, the players who face me or the best in the world. Yes, that’s what I feel. I feel they have more to gain than to lose in those matches. That’s why, at times or almost throughout the match, they play without pressure.
Korda will face qualifier Martin Landaluce in the fourth round of the Miami Open. The American star’s best run in Miami was reaching the quarter-finals in 2021 and 2025. He’s likely not to get further than that this year as he’s likely to play against Taylor Fritz or Casper Ruud at that stage of the tournament
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