Carlos Alcaraz after Sebastian Korda defeat: ‘I will try to push them to the limit even more’

Match Reaction

Alcaraz after Korda defeat: ‘I will try to push them to the limit even more’

World No. 1 eyes reset ahead of clay swing, reflects on rivals raising their level

ATP Tour

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz fell to a third-round defeat to Sebastian Korda in Miami on Sunday. By Jerome Coombe

If Carlos Alcaraz’s recent history is anything to go by, his third-round exit at the Miami Open presented by Itau may yet prove the spark for another dominant clay-court run.

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings fell before the second week in Miami for the second consecutive year on Sunday, this time to Sebastian Korda. Twelve months ago, a shock opening-round defeat to David Goffin in South Florida preceded a remarkable 22-1 surge across the clay swing. After his 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 loss to Korda, Alcaraz was quick to turn his attention to what comes next.

“Probably I am going to go back home, which I am looking forward to,” Alcaraz said. “Stay chilling with my family, with my friends [for a] couple of days. I don't know how much my team is going to allow me to have a rest and a day off.

“All of a sudden I just [have to get] back on track, go back on the court. 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.”

After opening the 2026 season with a perfect 16-0 record, Alcaraz has now dropped two of his past three matches, including a semi-final defeat to Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells. Expectations remain high, but on Sunday he acknowledged an opponent who seized his moment.

Korda, the three-time ATP Tour champion and former World No. 15, produced near-flawless tennis until he attempted to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set. A brief dip allowed Alcaraz to pounce and, although he ultimately fell short of completing the comeback, the Spaniard credited Korda’s level while admitting he was unable to fully impose his own game.

Watch Korda defeat Alcaraz in Miami:

“Luckily I have a lot of weapons, a lot of things that I can do on the court to try [and make] him uncomfortable, which today I couldn't find,” Alcaraz said when asked about opponents raising their level against him. “But I know from now on, I know they are going to play like that. I’ve just got to be ready.

“Even though he was playing, I would say, above his normal level, I was there. A lot of 30/30s, a lot of Deuces, break points to me. I didn't make it. But I’ve just got to see that point of view. For the next matches, I will try to play better on those moments, on those points. I will try not to let them stay in all the match. I will try to push them to the limit even more.”

The result also has implications for the battle at the top of the PIF ATP Rankings with fierce rival Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz’s early exit in Miami opens the door for Sinner to close the gap, with the Italian holding a strong points opportunity deep into the tournament.

While Alcaraz is defending significant points during the clay swing, Sinner has comparatively fewer to protect, tightening the margin between the two. The coming Masters 1000 events are therefore set to play a pivotal role in shaping the No. 1 battle, with momentum likely to swing quickly based on results.

That dynamic, Alcaraz acknowledged, feeds into the mindset of his opponents.

“Obviously when you're winning tournaments and you have a great win-loss record, I'm feeling they have more to win than to lose in those matches,” Alcaraz said when asked if there was more or less pressure on his opponents. “That's why in some moments or during almost the whole match they're playing without pressure. That's the feeling that I get after every match.

“I'm not thinking about my pressure. I don't feel it at all. I'm trying to play my best. Obviously the players I'm playing against, I think they don't have the pressure they usually get when they play another player.”

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