Francisco Cerundolo keeps Miami love affair alive with upset over in-form Daniil Medvedev | ATP Tour

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Cerundolo keeps Miami love affair alive with upset over in-form Medvedev

Argentine is into the fourth spherical for the fourth time in 5 appearances in Miami

March 23, 2026

Francisco Cerundolo‘s affinity for the Miami Open presented by Itau exhibits no signal 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 succeed in the fourth spherical on the ATP Masters 1000 occasion for the fourth time in 5 appearances.

“I felt good in my first-round match here, and now I feel way better,” mentioned Cerundolo, the No. 19 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings, after his first Top-10 win of the season. “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

Medvedev arrived in Miami filled with confidence after ending World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz‘s good 16-0 begin to the 2026 season within the Indian Wells semi-finals, reasserting himself among the many sport’s elite. Yet Cerundolo constantly disrupted the previous World No. 1 with his trademark forehand aggression.

Cerundolo has lengthy thrived in South Florida, highlighted by his semi-final run on debut in 2022 earlier than he added quarter-final showings in 2023 and 2025. Now focusing on one other last-eight look, he’ll subsequent face Ugo Humbertwho he defeated of their solely earlier Lexus ATP Head2Headvert assembly on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Medvedev, in the meantime, was chasing a Tour-leading twentieth win of the season, having already claimed titles in Brisbane and Dubai. Instead, the 30-year-old exits Miami with a 19-5 document, based on the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

Cerundolo dominated early, racing via the opening set and showing on target for a straight-sets win earlier than Medvedev rallied from 1-3 down within the second. The pair traded high-quality rallies within the Florida warmth, highlighted by an instinctive winner from Medvedev to finish a 22-ball trade and ignited the group.

The former World No. 1 saved 4 break factors in a pivotal 3-4 sport. But Cerundolo finally had the ultimate say, unleashing his forehand with authority to shut out victory after two hours, 17 minutes.

“It was a great match, super tough,” Cerundolo mentioned. “It was my first match in opposition to Daniil. He’s in all probability one of many solely guys on Tour who I’ve by no means performed. I did not know what to anticipate. He has had an ideal yr up to now, so I did not anticipate to be up 6-0 within the first set and a break up within 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.”