Miami, March 22
Carlos Alcaraz was defeated 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 by Belgium’s David Goffin in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday (local time). Goffin managed to break the second seed in each set, sealing the win on his second match point when Alcaraz, sliding across the court, couldn't return a forehand that Goffin expertly placed in the corner.
Next for Goffin is American Brandon Nakashima, who triumphed 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 over Roberto Carballes Baena.
Six-time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic marked his highly anticipated return to the tournament with a dominant 6-0, 7-6(1) win over Australia's Rinky Hijikata, advancing to the third round. This was Djokovic’s first Miami appearance since 2019 and his victory was his 410th ATP Masters 1000 match win, tying him with Rafael Nadal for the most all-time wins in the series.
"I wanted to make a statement to myself and to others, as well, that I'm still able to play on a high level," Djokovic told reporters.
On the other hand, Russian seventh seed Daniil Medvedev, the reigning Miami champion and fresh off a semifinal appearance at Indian Wells, was stunned in the first round, losing 6-2, 6-3 to Spain's Jaume Munar.
Other notable results saw former Miami finalists Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov advance while Australian Nick Kyrgios, who secured his first win since 2022 earlier this week, was defeated 7-6(3), 6-0 by Karen Khachanov.