Carlos Alcaraz lost to Sebastian Korda, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, in the third round of the Miami Open.
The Spaniard suffered another shock defeat against a lower-ranked player, slipping up against the world number 36.
Earlier this year, Alcaraz complained that opponents play like Roger Federer against him, a phenomenon that also affects Jannik Sinner.
Will Jannik Sinner overtake Carlos Alcaraz and become world number one? 🤔
If so, when will he do it?
After watching Alcaraz exit the Miami Open, Italian tennis legend Paolo Bertolucci gave the world number one some advice.
Paolo Bertolucci says Carlos Alcaraz should know the ‘burdens’ that come with being world number one
Writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Davis Cup winner Bertolucci delivered his verdict on Alcaraz’s latest defeat.
“Carlos [Alcaraz] sometimes gets nervous about the high level his opponent maintains during matches,” said Bertolucci (translated from Italian).
“But he should know that this is the burden that the best players bear.
“You have to enter the court with humility and with the awareness that you don’t always come out on top in matches, thanks to your ranking.
“With this success, a player like [Sebastian] Korda is set for the rest of the year; he can say he’s beaten the number-one-ranked player.”
Korda became the latest lower-ranked player to upset the world number one.
Seven of Alcaraz’s last 10 ATP Tour defeats have come at the hands of players ranked outside the world’s top 10.
Carlos Alcaraz’s last 10 defeats
| Match | Opponent | Opponent’s rank | Score |
| 2026 Miami Open – 3R | Sebastian Korda | 36 | 3-6, 7-5, 4-6 |
| 2026 Indian Wells – SF | Daniil Medvedev | 11 | 3-6, 6-7 |
| 2025 ATP Finals – F | Jannik Sinner | 2 | 6-7, 5-7 |
| 2025 Paris Masters – 2R | Cameron Norrie | 31 | 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 |
| 2025 Laver Cup – RR | Taylor Fritz | 5 | 3-6, 2-6 |
| 2025 Wimbledon – F | Jannik Sinner | 1 | 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 4-6 |
| 2025 Barcelona Open – F | Holger Rune | 13 | 6-7, 2-6 |
| 2025 Miami Open – 2R | David Goffin | 55 | 7-5, 4-6, 3-6 |
| 2025 Indian Wells – SF | Jack Draper | 14 | 1-6, 6-0, 4-6 |
| 2025 Qatar Open – QF | Jiri Lehecka | 25 | 3-6, 6-3, 4-6 |
The Spaniard’s record against the elite is near-perfect, but he seems to be more beatable against the rest of the tour.
Looking to move past his Miami Open disappointment, Bertolucci believes Alcaraz will recover.
“Right now, Alcaraz needs to recharge by staying out of the spotlight for a bit to regain his motivation,” said Bertolucci.
“However, the season is still early, and I think he can easily recover; there’s no need to judge him.
“I didn’t judge Jannik Sinner either when he lost to Novak Djokovic in Australia or to Jakub Mensik in Qatar; in fact, he recovered.
“The same thing will happen to Alcaraz, who is still 22 and not yet 100% fit.”
After Alcaraz outperformed Sinner in January and February, the Italian began to dominate in March.
Points earned at the Australian Open/Qatar Open
- Carlos Alcaraz – 2,500 points
- Jannik Sinner – 900 points
Points earned at Indian Wells/Miami Open
- Jannik Sinner – 1,200* points
- Carlos Alcaraz – 450 points
Sinner could yet earn another 800 points in Miami, should he win the title.
If he were to do so, he’d move to within 50 points of Alcaraz in the Live ATP Race.
Live ATP Race
- Carlos Alcaraz – 2,950 points
- Jannik Sinner – 2,100 points
Sinner will play Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open on Thursday, March 26.
How many points does Carlos Alcaraz have to defend on clay?
Alcaraz enjoyed an excellent clay-court campaign in 2025.
The Spaniard won titles in Monte-Carlo, Rome, and Paris.
He’ll return to his favored clay courts this year, needing to defend over 4,000 points
Carlos Alcaraz’s clay-court results – 2025
- Monte-Carlo Masters (Champion) – 1,000 points
- Barcelona Open (Finalist) – 330 points
- Italian Open (Champion) – 1,000 points
- French Open (Champion) – 2,000 points
- Total – 4,330 points
Sinner, on the other hand, only has 1,950 points to defend, having missed the majority of the clay season in 2025 due to suspension.
Jannik Sinner’s clay-court results – 2025
- Italian Open (Finalist) – 650 points
- French Open (Finalist) – 1,300 points
- Total – 1,950 points
If the Italian can replicate the level he showed at the French Open and Italian Open last year for the entire clay season in 2026, he could well take back the world number one ranking from his greatest rival.
For now, Alcaraz holds a 2,150-point lead over Sinner.
