By Richard Pagliaro Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Image source: BNP Paribas Open Facebook
The Formula 1 circuit, still under construction, winds around Hard Rock Stadium.
Today, American Seeds Taylor Fritz and Sebastian Korda After three twists and turns, we are still far from the finish line.
Koda stuns the next round World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, he failed to convert the match point in the deciding game and lost to Spanish qualifier Martin Landalus 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4.
Landalus, 20, is the first man born in 2006 or later to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000.
Jiri Lehka He defeated 2025 semifinalist Fritz 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2 for his first top-10 win since beating him in a Davis Cup qualifier last September in Delray Beach.
Lehecka, the 21st seed, held off Fritz’s 350th career tour-level victory, which included his 250th career hard-court victory.
In the bigger picture, the early afternoon withdrawal of two talented Americans seemed to severely dash the dreams of the American finalists. The day started on an all-time high: for the first time since 1996, five American men advanced to the Round of 16 in Miami: Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Alex Michelson.
The crushing defeats for Korda and Fritz and the fact that Michelsen faces world No. 2 Jannik Sinner today puts America’s hopes on the shoulders of Tiafoe and Paul.
Lehka served well in the third set, hitting seven of his 10 aces in the final set. Lehka once hit three aces to lead 5-2.
Lehecka knocked down a small ball winner to get the second match point. Fritz hit his second double fault to end a two-hour, 25-minute struggle.
This is the third time Lehka has participated in the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 in his career, and he will compete with No. 151 Landalus for a semi-final spot.
After Alcaraz’s shocking exit, Landalus appealed to Hispanic fans in South Florida.
Korda, aiming for the biggest victory of his career, played near-perfect tennis to lead 6-2, 6-6, 6-5 in the decider.
On match point, you couldn’t blame Korda for trying to use his body to tie the lanky Landalus on his second serve.
Only Landalus leapt past him and erased match point with a clean backhand return.
The qualifier already had set point when Korda missed a two-handed cross.
Landalus ended the second set with a scream as he hit a vicious forehand across the court.
During this period, Landalus controlled some key cross-court forehand exchanges, and he missed a forehand break to take a 2-0 lead in the third set.
