Surprise in Miami: Goffin goes back to Alcaraz in his debut | ATP Tour

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Surprise in Miami: Goffin goes back to Alcaraz in his debut

Su next rival will be Brandon Nakashima

March 22, 2025

David Goffin has achieved what for many seemed unlikely: to overcome Carlos Alcaraz on one of the favorite Spanish tracks, the Miami Open Central presented by It Itaú, and before the second week of the tournament. Just in that place where No. 3 of the world was enshrined in 2022, and where he was semifinalist in 2023 and quarterfinalist in 2022, the Belgian has given the surprise by imposing himself with partials of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

The Belgian had already given signs of how annoying it could be for Spanish when beating him in stoned sets in Astana 2022, when Alcaraz was the world No. 1. Since then the Lexus ATP Headtohead between them had been 1-1. And the ex No. 7 of the world, today in box No. 55, has been in charge of unbalanced the history again in his favor.

This result makes it the first player outside the Top 30 who expires one of the best two preclassified ones in this tournament in the debut since the Spanish David Ferrer surprised the second standard of the 2019 edition, the German Alexander Zverev, in the second round of that time.

In addition, this victory, No. 351 in his career at the ATP Tour, ends the undefeated Alcaraz before players outside the Top 30 in the season (now 8-1 record), and his good trend against players outside the Top 50. Goffin is the second tennis player of this type who expires the Murcian since last March. And first since then No. 74 Botic Van de Zandschulp in the Us Open Past.

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The first show that Goffin could achieve this Friday came in the seventh game when he obtained the first breakdown of the night. Although the 17-time ATP Tour champion prevented him from confirming the break and stayed with the set minutes later, he did not stop searching and the reward appeared in the 4-4 of the second partial.

It was a key game, with two non -forced Carlitos errors in the first two points, and a winning shot in the last one by the 34 -year right. Not only did he take the opportunity taking out for the set in the next game, he also broke in the first of the decisive. And if I had taken advantage of the 2-0 Break Point, it would have reached six Games won consecutively.

However, his second break in the manga came in the final game, and meant his twentieth victory against rivals of the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings. Sunday will be playing the third round in Miami, a place where I was not since 2019.

The victory at the track level 😍

Next rival: 🇺🇸 @b_nakashima 👁️

🇧🇪 @David__Goffin | @MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/PFtUQ3QMN8

– ATP Tour en Español (@atppour_es) March 22, 2025

“It feels incredible. Sometimes some games are difficult and you have to fight, like the first round, and one is glad to have a second round like this in a stadium,” said Goffin, who also traced a set against him to beat Aleksandar Vukic in his debut in Miami. “That’s why I still play tennis, for having these types of games in a stadium, for playing a good tennis.”

“I was simply trying to enjoy the moment … I felt that I was physically ready to fight and then I felt the ball very well, so it is the type of night you feel great and you are happy to fight, you enjoy every point and in the end it is a perfect ending with a big game point. It was incredible.”

His next opponent will be the American Brandon Nakashima, who comes from winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to Spanish Roberto Carballés Baena in just two hours and 22 minutes. The current No. 32 of the world leads 2-0 the Lexus ATP Headtohead between them.