TIE-BREAKFAST - 03/23 Miami Open

Good morning and welcome back to TIE-Breakfast: all the tennis you need at breakfast.

Ace Cream's daily newsletter during Masters 1000 and Grand Slams, every morning at 8:30.

Today is Monday, March 23, in Miami it's 03:30 and it's 17 degrees. Alright, let's go.

Today at breakfast

• 🇺🇸 Korda eliminates Alcaraz in the third round: first win against a world number 1
• 🇫🇷 Fils demolishes Tsitsipas 6-0, 6-1 in 55 minutes: "I'm fully back"
• 🇮🇹 Berrettini and Paolini both out on the same day, Miami gets complicated for the Italians
• 🇦🇺 Gibson keeps impressing, Sabalenka and Rybakina advance without trouble
• 🇮🇹 Sinner-Moutet in the evening session, Sabalenka-Zheng the WTA big match

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY:

🇺🇸 Korda Eliminates Alcaraz And Rewrites His Season

Sebastian Korda beat Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and eighteen minutes, securing the biggest win of his career. In the first set he controlled the rallies with a solidity almost unprecedented for him, then served for the match in the second before losing five games in a row, only to regain his composure in the third and close it out on his second match point.

His post-match statement stands out: "Our goal was to play average, not try to do too much." An approach that, against someone like Alcaraz, requires a tactical discipline that isn't a given. Korda becomes the first American to beat a world number one in Miami since 2008, when Roddick eliminated Federer — a detail that says something about the magnitude of what happened.

🇫🇷 Fils Annihilates Tsitsipas, Who Lashes Out At The Umpire

Arthur Fils beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-0, 6-1 in fifty-five minutes, a performance that leaves little to add to the scoreline. Fils won 89% of points on his first serve and forced Tsitsipas into twenty-eight unforced errors, in a match that was never really one.

Tsitsipas complained about the Stadium Court lights preventing him from seeing the ball, going as far as telling the umpire "you should be ashamed of yourself." Beyond the frustration, the feeling is that Fils is going through a remarkable run of form, especially considering he missed the Australian Open due to a back injury and is finding his rhythm again after the injury that kept him out at the start of the season.

🇮🇹 Berrettini Out Against Vacherot, Run Ends In The Third Round

Matteo Berrettini lost to Valentin Vacherot 6-7(5), 4-6 in an hour and a half, a defeat that cuts short the momentum he'd built with his win over Bublik. A double fault at 3-3 in the first-set tiebreak shifted the match's momentum, and in the second Vacherot gave no room.

After his best match of the year against Bublik, a loss like this illustrates the difficulty of sustaining high-level performances — which remains the defining theme of Berrettini's season.

🇱🇻 Ostapenko Eliminates Paolini In A Comeback, Bitter Day For Italy

Jelena Ostapenko beat Jasmine Paolini 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 in two hours and thirty-three minutes. Paolini had won the first set and seemed in control, but Ostapenko found a way to turn the match around with her aggressiveness, claiming her twenty-seventh career win against a top 10 player.

For Italy it was a Sunday to forget, with both of their most anticipated players eliminated on the same day. Sinner remains, entering the fray tonight.

🇦🇺 Gibson Won't Stop, Sabalenka And Rybakina In Control

Talia Gibson beat Iva Jovic 6-2, 6-2, continuing a week that's becoming hard to ignore: fifth top-20 win between Indian Wells and Miami, with a confidence that doesn't seem like that of a twenty-one-year-old on her first real WTA 1000 run.

Aryna Sabalenka dispatched Caty McNally 6-4, 6-2, winning ten of the last twelve games after a tight start. Elena Rybakina defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-4 without ever looking troubled. Zheng Qinwen came back against Madison Keys 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, doubling the American's winners in the second half of the match. Jessica Pegula cruised past Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 in just over an hour.

🎾 Fritz Advances, Lehecka Stops Quinn

Taylor Fritz beat Reilly Opelka 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and three minutes, winning 94% of points on his first serve. An American derby that was supposed to be balanced on paper, but Fritz wrapped up with commanding superiority. Jiri Lehecka eliminated Ethan Quinn 6-3, 7-6(6), ending the surprising run of the young American who had knocked out Hurkacz and Ruud.

WHAT'S ON TODAY:

• Sinner vs Moutet (Stadium, evening session from 1:00 AM Italian time) — Third round for Jannik, against an awkward opponent in terms of playing style. Moutet beat Machac in three sets and brings an unpredictable brand of tennis that can trouble anyone. Sinner is chasing his twenty-fifth consecutive set won in Masters 1000 events.
• Sabalenka vs Zheng (Stadium, evening session) — The most anticipated match on the women's draw. Sabalenka leads 7-1 in their head-to-head, but Zheng beat her in Rome last May and arrives off a convincing comeback against Keys.
• Medvedev vs Cerundolo (Stadium, day session from 6:00 PM Italian time) — Medvedev faces the eighteenth seed after a complicated passage against Sakamoto. Cerundolo is in form and can be dangerous on these courts.
• Gauff vs Cirstea (Stadium, day session) — The home favorite continues her run after the comeback against Parks. Cirstea is a veteran capable of high-level performances.
• Rybakina vs Gibson (Stadium, evening session) — The twenty-one-year-old Australian faces the toughest test of her week. Rybakina hasn't dropped a set in Miami yet.
• Tiafoe vs Mensik (Grandstand) — Defending champion Mensik against hometown favorite Tiafoe. An interesting generational clash.
• Muchova vs Eala (Grandstand) — Eala seeks a spot in the fourth round against the Czech, in a match that could be more open than the seeding suggests.

Further reading

• Inspired Korda Stuns Carlos Alcaraz At Miami Masters
• Sebastian Korda Reveals How He Upset Carlos Alcaraz in Miami Open
• Ostapenko triumphs over Paolini in Miami rollercoaster
• Miami: Berrettini eliminated, Bolelli-Vavassori advance in doubles
• Sabalenka to meet Zheng in high-stakes Miami showdown

Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day.

See you tomorrow at 08:30 with TIE-Breakfast