The Miami Masters 1000 delivered one of its first major surprises this Friday night. Carlos Alcaraz, one of the top contenders for the title, was seeded as the second-highest ranked player in the tournament, behind Alexander Zverev, following the suspension of ATP No. 1 Jannik Sinner. However, the Spanish tennis player disappointed in his debut, falling to David Goffin.
“How am I feeling? Dreadful,” Alcaraz admitted during the post-match press conference, as shared by the official ATP Tour website. “Dreadful because of this defeat and because this is a tournament I always want to do well at, and losing my first match hurts.”
Reflecting on his 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 loss to Goffin, Carlos was straightforward. “Simply, the guy played great tennis,” he said. “I didn’t make the most of the chances he gave me and in the end, tennis is based on taking opportunities. If you don’t make the most of them, you allow your opponent to relax and play with confidence. I think that’s what happened today.”
The Spanish star then broke down some of the key factors behind his defeat. “After the 7-5, I didn’t have any break points in the match. That gives you an idea of how little pressure I put on his serve,” he explained. “In the end, when you let your opponent play good tennis, and you don’t put them under any pressure, it’s very unlikely you’ll win.”
David Goffin of Belgium meets Carlos Alcaraz of Spain after defeating him during Day 4 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 21, 2025.
Alcaraz praises Goffin
Carlos Alcaraz didn’t just focus on his own performance during the match. “It’s true that I didn’t play well and my level was poor, but you have to give some credit to David,” he said, acknowledging the Belgian’s strengths.
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“I think he has a game that’s hard to play, even though it may not look like it. It’s hard to face,” Alcaraz elaborated on Goffin. “Tonight he was very solid from start to finish. I thought his level would drop a little, but because I didn’t put him under pressure, I think he stayed confident throughout and it didn’t drop.”
Alcaraz’s season
Finally, Alcaraz took stock of his performance in 2025. “This first part of the season… I said that I felt I was playing good tennis. I was feeling good, but after this defeat, I don’t know what to say,” he admitted. “I’m not sure whether, in the coming days, I’ll analyse it or try to forget about it. We’ll see.”
Carlos Alcaraz will now have time to reflect on his elimination from the Miami Open, as it will be more than two weeks before his next official match. The next tournament on his schedule is the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, which begins on April 6. Alcaraz is expected to make his debut two days later.
