Alcaraz, Sinner find success at Miami Masters 1000: Scouting Report | ATP Tour

Scouting report

Scouting report: Alcaraz looks to bounce back in Miami, Sinner chases ‘Sunshine Double’

What every fan should know about the ATP Masters 1000 event executive summary

March 16, 2026

The second leg of the prestigious “Sunshine Double” will kick off on Wednesday at the Miami Open hosted by ETA.

PIF ATP No. 1 player Carlos Alcaraz and last week’s BNP Paribas Open winner Jannik Sinner headline the ATP Masters 1000 event. The main game will be held from March 18th to 29th at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

ATPTour.com looks at 10 things to watch during the second Masters 1000 tournament of the season.

1) Alcaraz Eyes Rapid Response: Daniil Medvedev ended world number one Alcaraz’s unbeaten start to 2026 in the Indian Wells semi-finals. The Spaniard will hope to get back on track quickly in Miami, where he won his first Masters 1000 title in 2022. According to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index, Alcaraz has a record of 16-1 this year.

2) Sinners seek double sunlight: Only seven men have completed the coveted Sunshine Double between Indian Wells and Miami in the same year, a feat not achieved by anyone since Roger Federer in 2017. In 2026, Jannik Sinner has a chance to join this list after winning the BNP Paribas Open without dropping a set. The world’s No. 2 player last appeared in Miami in 2024.

3) A resurgent Medvedev: Daniil Medvedev played some of his best tennis in last month’s title match in Dubai and subsequent championship match in Indian Wells. The former world number one is back in the top 10 for the first time since July last year and will be looking to build on recent performances, including an Indian Wells semi-final against Alcaraz. Medvedev previously lifted the Miami trophy in 2023.

4) Zverev is looking forward to his first trophy this year: After reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open and French Open in Paris, Alexander Zverev will be looking to topple his 2026 title run in Miami. German has a pedigree on the hard courts of South Florida: He holds a 19-10 record there, including a run to the finals in 2018.

5) Fritz & Shelton lead the home charge: Only one American (John Isner in 2018) has won the men’s singles title in Miami over the past 15 years. World No. 7 Taylor Fritz and No. 9 Ben Shelton will lead the charge for the home title at Hard Rock Stadium in 2026, with the likes of top-10 stars Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul also hoping for home support.

6) Top ten threats: Three top 10 stars will compete for their first Master 1000 crown in Miami. World No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti reached the fourth round in Florida in 2024 and 2025, losing to Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic respectively. No. 6 Alex De Minaur has also never reached the round of 16 at Hard Rock Stadium, while No. 8 Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the semifinals in 2018.

7) Defending champion Mensik: A year ago, Jakub Mensik defeated Djokovic in Miami to win his first ATP Tour trophy. The 20-year-old Czech, who will return in 2026 as the No. 13 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, lifted his second tour-level title in Auckland in early January. In addition to Alcaraz, Sinner, Medvedev and Mencic, another former champion in the field is 2021 champion Hubert Hurkacz.

8) Tien and Fonseca have a great impact on the eyes: Learner Tien and Joao Fonseca, both making their Miami main draw debuts in 2025, had an interesting first-round clash at Hard Rock Stadium, with Fonseca winning in three sets. After reaching the quarterfinals in Indian Wells, Thien’s current world ranking has reached a career-high No. 21, and he is expected to achieve his first victory in Miami this year. Fonseca, meanwhile, will be hoping to channel more of the raucous crowd energy from his third-round clash a year ago.

9) #NextGenATP Wild Card: Fonseca has at least three other stars aged 20 and under who will join the Brazilian in the main draw in Miami. Frenchman Moise Kouame, who only turns 17 on March 6, will make his Masters 1000 debut as a wild card. Rei Sakamoto, 19, and local player Darwin Blanch, 18, will also compete as wild cards.

10) Arevalo/Pavich defending champion: Defending Miami champions Marcelo Arevalo and Matt Pavic will head to Hard Rock Stadium looking for an immediate response after losing to Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round at Indian Wells. The Salvadoran-Croatian pair’s draw opponents include top seeds Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos and 2025 finalists Julian Cash/Lloyd Glasspool.