Sebastian Korda produced one of the biggest upsets of the Miami Open, defeating world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a dramatic third-round clash on Sunday. More than the American star, it was his fiancee, Ivana Nedved, who celebrated his win.
Ivana, daughter of Czech soccer great Pavel Nedved, posted Instagram stories to show her love for Korda. “So proud of my man. Most deserving soul out there,” she wrote on top of a video of the World No 36’s winning moment.
By beating Alcaraz, Korda secured the first win of his career against a top-ranked player.
Korda holds nerve after missed chance
The American appeared to have the match wrapped up in the second set when he served for victory at 5-4, only to be broken at love. Alcaraz capitalized, winning the next two games to force a deciding set.
Momentum briefly swung in the Spaniard’s favor as he strung together five straight games, but Korda refused to fade. He broke for a 4-3 lead in the third when Alcaraz misfired on a forehand, then held his nerve to close out the match on his second opportunity.
Closing it out in style
Korda showed composure under pressure, sealing the win after Alcaraz sent a return long on match point. Earlier, he had confidently held serve with an overhead winner to keep control late in the deciding set.
“It feels great,” said Korda, who has been ranked as high as 15th in the world but has endured two seasons disrupted by injuries.
“I took the scenic route, that’s for sure — a little more stress than I would want but happy with how I played, happy with how I stayed with it.
“He’s unbelievable in every aspect of his game, movement, volleys, forehand, backhand, there’s nothing he can’t do,” Korda said of 22-year-old Alcaraz, whose Australian Open title made him the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
Early dominance sets tone
Korda dictated play from the outset, breaking Alcaraz for a 5-3 lead in the opening set before sealing it with an ace. He continued to apply pressure in the second set, earning another early break before Alcaraz mounted his comeback.
Despite the Spaniard’s resilience, Korda’s aggressive approach ultimately proved decisive.
End of Alcaraz’s hot streak
The defeat marks a rare stumble for Alcaraz, who had compiled a remarkable 73-6 record since last year’s Miami loss. His 2026 campaign had started perfectly at 16-0, highlighted by an Australian Open triumph and a title in Doha.
However, this latest result adds to a recent dip in form following a semifinal exit at Indian Wells.
What’s next for Korda
Korda now advances to face either Spain’s Martin Landaluce or 14th seed Karen Khachanov, with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.
