Do you get deja vu? On Sunday night, American tennis star Sebastian Korda defeated world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at the Miami Open, marking his first-ever win over a top-ranked player. But this isn’t the first time the Korda family has created such a wonderful moment. Three decades ago, his father Petr Korda had defeated then-world No. 1 Pete Sampras at the 1997 US Open. It felt like history repeating itself as Sebastian, 29 years later, recreated that magic, celebrating the win over a reigning World No.1 in the same style.
In what could be a defining moment of his career, the 25-year-old secured his first victory over a world No. 1 in the Round of 32 at the Miami Open 2026, handing Alcaraz an early exit. The win also improved his head-to-head record against the Spaniard to 2-4.
THE MOMENT SEBASTIAN KORDA BEAT CARLOS ALCARAZ IN MIAMI
Biggest win of his life
At 25 years old… he’s had so many injuries, he hasn’t been allowed to fulfill his massive potential
He’s letting nothing hold him back
Unreal talent ready to thrive 🇺🇸🥹
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 22, 2026
The match, which lasted 2 hours and 19 minutes, was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Korda dictated play early with aggressive baseline hitting and effective serve-and-volley tactics, taking the first set 6-3. He had a chance to close the match in straight sets while serving at 5-4 in the second, but Alcaraz broke him at love and surged back to force a decider.
Despite the setback, Korda cameback brilliantly in the third set. He secured a break for 4-3 after Alcaraz misfired on a forehand and held his nerve to seal the victory. The world No. 1 looked unusually frustrated, at one point venting toward his box as he struggled to counter Korda’s clean ball-striking.
Ranked world No. 36, Korda became the lowest-ranked player to defeat Alcaraz since David Goffin (No. 55) achieved the same feat at the Miami Open last year.
Sebastian Korda Carries Forward His Father’s Legacy
After the win, Korda celebrated by placing his racket on his head and smiling, a nod to his father’s famous celebration after beating Pete Sampras 6–7(4), 7–5, 7–6(2), 3–6, 7–6(3) in the fourth round of the 1997 US Open. In that match, Sampras had led 3-0 in the final set but failed to close it out, as Petr Korda staged a remarkable comeback. Just months later, he went on to win the 1998 Australian Open title.
Sebastian Korda who has four ATP titles under his belt so far (3 singles, 1 doubles) will now face 20-year-old Spanish qualifier Martín Landaluce in the Round of 16 at the 2026 Miami Open.
