In an unexpected turn of events Friday night at the Miami Open, former champion and second seed Carlos Alcaraz faced an early exit. Despite having a first-round bye, Alcaraz was toppled in his opening match by Belgium’s David Goffin, who claimed victory with scores of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Goffin’s performance was nothing short of impressive, as he constantly kept Alcaraz on his toes by leading with a break in each set. The match reached its climax when Goffin secured his second match point, sending a powerful forehand shot into the corner that an already stretched-out Alcaraz couldn’t quite get back.
This defeat follows closely on the heels of Alcaraz’s surprising semifinal departure at Indian Wells. There, his remarkable 16-match winning streak was halted by Jack Draper, who eventually clinched the tournament title at the ATP Masters 1000 event held in the sunny California desert.
Looking ahead, Goffin is set to face American tennis player Brandon Nakashima. Nakashima earned his spot by overcoming Roberto Carballes Baena in a hard-fought match that ended 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
This report also includes insights from Reuters.
