Landaluce saves match point, honors grandmother in Miami stunner

In the humid glare of Hard Rock Stadium, Martin Landaluce stared down a match point, his season’s frustrations boiling over on the Miami hard courts. The 20-year-old Spaniard, a qualifier without a tour-level win in 2026 entering the event, unleashed a flat backhand winner down-the-line at 5-6 in the second-set tiebreak, flipping the script against Sebastian Korda. That shot leveled the match after dropping the opener 2-6, propelling him to a 7-6(6), 6-4 decider victory that vaulted him into his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

Korda, riding high after upsetting World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, sliced through the early exchanges with crosscourt forehands and a steady one–two pattern, his flat-hitting game suited to the medium-paced surface. Landaluce absorbed the pressure, his heavy topspin forehands keeping balls deep and forcing the American into defensive lobs. As the second set stretched to a tiebreak, the crowd’s energy shifted with the qualifier’s quickened footwork, setting the stage for his bold rip.

“My grandmother,” Landaluce replied when asked what was on his mind after claiming the win. “She [would have been] 101 last week, and she passed away a few months ago. I wanted to give her the victory.”

QUALIFIER QUARTER-FINALIST

Martin Landaluce continues to make headlines in Miami as he saves a match point to defeat Korda 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4! @MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/X647Ejcryp
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 24, 2026

Season’s drought yields to fighting fire

The weight of a barren 2026 had pressed on Landaluce, trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy and fresh from the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah last December. Prior to this week, his tour-level record stood at just two wins, per the ATP Win/Loss Index, despite junior triumphs like the 2022 US Open boys’ title at age 16 and Challenger titles in 2024 and 2025. Knocking out Marcos Giron in qualifying, then Top 20 players Luciano Darderi and Karen Khachanov, he built quiet momentum, but Korda tested his resolve deepest.

In the tiebreak’s heat, down match point with Korda’s lower back already troubling him, Landaluce drew on Spanish grit he idolizes. He clinched the set with two more points, his fist pump drawing roars from the sun-soaked stands. That energy spilled into the third, where he raced to a 3-0 lead, mixing inside-in forehands with drop shots to exploit the American’s compromised movement.

Korda’s two medical timeouts in the decider couldn’t stem the tide, as Landaluce’s court coverage turned long rallies into errors—28 unforced across the final two sets. Over two hours and 27 minutes, the qualifier’s mental edge prevailed, his six-match streak including qualifiers securing a career-high jump to No. 103 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, up 48 spots from No. 151.

Backhand pivot disrupts Korda’s rhythm

Landaluce’s game, clay-honed but adapting to Miami’s higher bounce, used underspin on returns to neutralize Korda’s serve, setting up aggressive backhand angles. In the opener, the home favorite pinned him back with wide slices, but the Spaniard adjusted by varying depth, his loopy topspin pushing Korda beyond the baseline. This tactical shift addressed the surface’s grip, where flat power falters against controlled aggression.

Born in 2006, Landaluce became the first player from his generation to reach the last eight at a Masters 1000, the lowest-ranked quarterfinalist here since World No. 185 Jim Grabb in 1994. His path echoes underdog volatility in these draws, now qualifying him for the 2026 PIF ATP Next Gen ATP Accelerator with added opportunities for under-21s.

“I needed to go for a nice shot, and I hit a winner,” Landaluce said of the match point. “It’s a nice feeling to get it like that. All the Spaniards try this. They have that fighting spirit. Ferrero, Ferrer, Nadal, Carlitos… I have been watching that my whole career and I’m here right now, so I had to try it.”

Quarterfinal horizon tests sustained surge

Next, Landaluce faces Taylor Fritz or Jiri Lehecka, a matchup probing his evolution against big serves and all-court variety. The Miami crowd, buzzing after the @MiamiOpen‘s #MiamiOpen highlights on March 24, 2026 via pic.twitter.com/X647Ejcryp, sensed a star emerging from the qualifiers. His blend of resilience and shot-making, fueled by personal loss, positions him as a hard-court contender ready to extend this dream run.

“It means everything,” he reflected on the surge. “I’m playing really good this week. I knew I had to do it because there are unbelievable players here since the qualies. I’m super happy to be here playing with these amazing players.” As the sun set over the courts, Landaluce’s story pulsed with promise, grief transforming into the drive that could redefine his trajectory in the ATP’s elite fray.