Tsitsipas Triumphs Over De Minaur: Upsets Fifth Seed in Miami
Greek star improves his record to 12-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
March 21, 2026
ATP Tour
Stefanos Tsitsipas sails into the third round in Miami.
By ATP Staff
Stefanos Tsitsipas showcased his exceptional skills at the Miami Open presented by Itau, delivering a standout performance against a familiar rival.
The 27-year-old stunned fifth seed Alex de Minaur with a solid 6-3, 7-6(3) victory, securing his spot in the third round of this ATP Masters 1000 event. This win further extends his lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series to 12-1.
“There were moments in the match that felt really good,” Tsitsipas remarked. “I had to manage the nerves at the end. It’s challenging facing a competitor like Alex, who returns so many balls, so I had to earn my points.”
Exhibiting an impressive serving performance, Tsitsipas excelled at critical moments during the one-hour and twenty-five-minute duel, winning an astonishing 98 percent (39/40) of points on his first serve and saving both break points, as noted by Infosys ATP Stats.
“I like to attribute that to skill. If I could perform like that in every match, it would be phenomenal,” Tsitsipas stated regarding his first-serve performance. “If I could keep that up consistently, I’d be thrilled.”
This victory marks Tsitsipas’ first back-to-back wins at the Masters 1000 level since his journey to the quarter-finals of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters last April. It’s a pivotal moment for him, having recently fallen out of the Top 50 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings; he now climbs three spots to No. 48.
His upcoming challenge will be against French player Arthur Fils in the third round. Earlier on Friday, Fils dispatched #NextGenATP star Darwin Blanch with a score of 6-2, 6-3.
