Carlos Alcaraz had a shocking outing at the 2026 Miami Open, losing in the third round to Sebastian Korda. In light of Alcaraz’s defeat at the ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in Florida, Mark Petchey shared his thoughts on the Spaniard’s future at the event and whether he would ever win the title again, considering the packed tour schedule.
Mark Petchey Shares His Thoughts on Carlos Alcaraz’s Future at the Miami Open
Alcaraz was the top seed at the 2026 Miami Open, and he began his campaign in the second round following a first-round bye. He defeated João Fonseca 6-4, 6-4 in his opening match before losing to the 32nd seed Korda 3-6, 7-5, 4-6 in the following round.
While speaking on the “Big T” podcast on Tennis Channel, Petchey described the tennis season as “quite difficult.” He stated that the World No. 1 entered the Miami Open after playing several tournaments, including winning the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, and then competing at Indian Wells.
“I think that the tennis season is quite difficult, and I think we forget how young Carlos is, coming off doing the career slam, the youngest man to ever do that, and then going into the Middle East, to then obviously play in Indian Wells,” Petchey said.
Discussing the hectic tour schedules that players must adhere to, Petchey stated that these tournaments are lengthy, and the minimal gaps between them might have contributed to Alcaraz’s defeat at the Miami Open.
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“These tournaments are so long now that there’s a long time for you to stay in the game, honestly. Obviously, he’s won here before, Carlos. It may be that this is the tournament he never wins again, just because of the way the calendar is,” Petchey added.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz is expected to compete in the 2026 Monte-Carlo Masters, scheduled for April 5 to April 12, 2026. The matches will be played on the outdoor clay courts at the Monte Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France.
In addition to the World No. 1, players like Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, and Taylor Fritz, along with former champions Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Andrey Rublev, are also expected to compete in the ATP Masters 1000 clay-court tournament in Monaco.
Alcaraz will enter the Monte-Carlo Masters as the defending champion. In 2025, he was seeded second at the tournament and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. He defeated Francisco Cerúndolo (3-6, 6-0, 6-1) in his opening match and then overcame qualifier Daniel Altmaier (6-3, 6-1) in the third round.
In the quarterfinals, the Spaniard eliminated 12th seed Arthur Fils (4-6, 7-5, 6-3) and advanced to the final by triumphing over compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (7-6(2), 6-4) in the semifinals.
In the championship match, Alcaraz defeated 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti (3-6, 6-1, 6-0), securing his sixth Masters 1000 title and his 18th career ATP Tour title.
