Alcaraz and Sabalenka Advance at Miami Open

Top seeds cruise through opening matches at prestigious tennis tournament

Mar. 21, 2026 at 1:11pm

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World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain defeated Brazilian Joao Fonseca in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the next round of the Miami Open. In the women's draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus held off a tough challenge from American Ann Li, winning 7-6(5), 6-4.

Why it matters

The Miami Open is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments outside of the Grand Slams, and early victories by the top seeds like Alcaraz and Sabalenka help set the stage for an exciting and competitive event.

The details

Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, was in control throughout his match against the 23-year-old Fonseca. The Spaniard won 80% of his first-serve points and broke Fonseca's serve twice to cruise to the straight-sets victory. In the women's draw, Sabalenka was pushed to a first-set tiebreaker by the 21-year-old Li before ultimately prevailing in two sets to begin her title defense.

  • The 2026 Miami Open is currently underway, with the tournament running from March 20-April 2.

The players

Carlos Alcaraz

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis player is currently ranked World No. 1 and is the reigning US Open champion.

Joao Fonseca

A 23-year-old Brazilian tennis player who was defeated by Alcaraz in the opening round of the Miami Open.

Aryna Sabalenka

The 24-year-old Belarusian tennis player is the defending champion at the Miami Open.

Ann Li

A 21-year-old American tennis player who pushed Sabalenka to a tiebreaker in the opening set before ultimately losing in two sets.

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What they’re saying

“I'm happy with how I played today and I'm looking forward to the next round.”

— Carlos Alcaraz

“Ann really pushed me today, but I'm glad I was able to get the win and start my title defense on the right foot.”

— Aryna Sabalenka

What’s next

The winners of these matches will advance to the next round of the Miami Open, which continues through April 2nd.

The takeaway

The early victories by top seeds Alcaraz and Sabalenka set the stage for an exciting and competitive Miami Open, as the world's best tennis players battle it out for one of the sport's most prestigious titles outside of the Grand Slams.