Cerundolo's Grit Crushes Medvedev in Miami Heat

Francisco Cerundolo’s affinity for the Miami Open presented by Itau shows no sign of fading. The 27-year-old Argentine produced a gritty 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 victory over in-form World No. 10 Daniil Medvedev on Monday to reach the fourth round at the ATP Masters 1000 event for the fourth time in five appearances. This breakthrough, his first Top-10 win of the season, arrived amid a year of quiet frustration, where flashes of brilliance had eluded consistent results.

Cerundolo, the No. 19 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, arrived in Miami nursing doubts after uneven starts elsewhere. Yet the hardcourts here, with their predictable bounce and humid grip, unlocked his heavy topspin forehand, a shot that dips sharply to pull opponents forward. Medvedev, fresh off halting Carlos Alcaraz’s flawless 16-0 season opener at Indian Wells, entered as the favorite, his 19-5 record underscoring titles in Brisbane and Dubai.

“I felt good in my first-round match here, and now I feel way better,” said Cerundolo after the win. “I’m recovering that confidence. The level was there, I was just trying to find it. But now, the Round of 16, so hopefully I can keep it up.”

Fran is feeling the love in Miami @MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen | @FranCerundolo pic.twitter.com/YpIlRxtmMC
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 23, 2026

Forehand storm overwhelms early

Cerundolo wasted no time, blanking Medvedev 6-0 in the opener by pinning him deep with crosscourt forehands that exploited the Russian’s two-handed backhand. His one–two pattern—serve wide, then inside-out winner—disrupted Medvedev’s retrieval game, forcing errors on low-skidding balls typical of Miami’s surface. The crowd at Hard Rock Stadium buzzed as the Argentine built a 3-1 lead in the second, his aggression turning the heat into an ally rather than a foe.

Medvedev had reasserted his elite status with that Indian Wells semifinal upset, but Cerundolo’s southpaw angles created unfamiliar pressure. Long-time observers noted how the Argentine’s prior Miami success—a 2022 semifinal debut, followed by quarters in 2023 and 2025—stemmed from this very adaptability, blending clay-court spin with hardcourt pace. As cheers swelled, it felt like the tournament’s magic was pulling Cerundolo deeper into his element.

Rally exposes Medvedev’s edges

The former World No. 1 fought back, erasing the second-set deficit with flat backhands slicing down-the-line, saving four break points in a grueling 3-4 game. A 22-rally exchange climaxed with Medvedev’s instinctive crosscourt winner, igniting the Florida faithful and restoring his baseline poise for a 6-4 set take. Yet Cerundolo stayed composed, varying serve placement to neutralize returns and keep points short against the 30-year-old’s counterpunching.

Medvedev chased a Tour-leading 20th win, his season a blend of titles and resilience, but Miami’s quicker conditions amplified Cerundolo’s disruptions. The Argentine’s underspin slices kept balls low, forcing Medvedev into awkward stretches, while the heat sapped endurance in longer exchanges. This back-and-forth mirrored Cerundolo’s year: belief flickering amid pressure, now steadying as the decider loomed.

Belief clinches the decider

In the third, high-quality tennis unfolded with both trading heavy groundstrokes, Cerundolo’s forehand authority breaking through for a 7-5 close after two hours and 17 minutes. An inside-in winner sealed it, his 70 percent first-serve points won edging Medvedev’s efficiency in the clutch. The victory leaves the Russian at 19-5 for the year, an early exit that tempers his momentum.

“It was a great match, super tough,” Cerundolo reflected. “It was my first match against Daniil. He’s probably one of the only guys on Tour who I have never played. I didn’t know what to expect. He has had a great year so far, so I didn’t expect to be up 6-0 in the first set and a break up in the second. Suddenly he started playing super good. But I kept believing and stayed there in the match. In the third set, it was a really good set from both and it ended up my way.”

Now, Cerundolo targets another quarterfinal, facing Ugo Humbert next in their rematch from the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he held the edge. This Miami stage, alive with @MiamiOpen energy and #MiamiOpen vibes via @FranCerundolo‘s updates on March 23, 2026, including pic.twitter.com/YpIlRxtmMC, positions him to extend the run. His mental reset here could spark a rankings climb, proving affinity for these courts runs deeper than form alone.