Miami
\n Cerundolo keeps Miami love affair alive with upset over in-form Medvedev<\/p>\n
Argentine is into the fourth round for the fourth time in five appearances in Miami<\/p>\n
March 23, 2026<\/p>\n
ATP Tour<\/p>\n
Francisco Cerundolo defeats Daniil Medvedev in three sets on Monday in Miami.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n
Francisco Cerundolo<\/a>\u2019s affinity for the Miami Open presented by Itau<\/a> shows no sign of fading.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old Argentine produced a gritty 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 victory over in-form World No. 10 Daniil Medvedev<\/a> on Monday to reach the fourth round at the ATP Masters 1000 event for the fourth time in five appearances.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt good in my first-round match here, and now I feel way better,\u201d said Cerundolo, the No. 19 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, after his first Top-10 win of the season. \u201cI\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Fran is feeling the love in Miami \ud83d\udc99@MiamiOpen<\/a> | #MiamiOpen<\/a> | @FranCerundolo<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/YpIlRxtmMC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) March 23, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Medvedev arrived in Miami full of confidence after ending World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz<\/a>\u2019s perfect 16-0 start to the 2026 season in the Indian Wells semi-finals, reasserting himself among the game\u2019s elite. Yet Cerundolo consistently disrupted the former World No. 1 with his trademark forehand aggression.<\/p>\n Cerundolo has long thrived in South Florida, highlighted by his semi-final run on debut in 2022 before he added quarter-final showings in 2023 and 2025. Now targeting another last-eight appearance, he will next face Ugo Humbert<\/a>, whom he defeated in their only previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting at the 2024 Paris Olympics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Medvedev, meanwhile, was chasing a Tour-leading 20th win of the season, having already claimed titles in Brisbane and Dubai. Instead, the 30-year-old exits Miami with a 19-5 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win\/Loss Index.<\/p>\n Cerundolo dominated early, racing through the opening set and appearing on course for a straight-sets win before Medvedev rallied from 1-3 down in the second. The pair traded high-quality rallies in the Florida heat, highlighted by an instinctive winner from Medvedev to end a 22-ball exchange and ignited the crowd.<\/p>\n The former World No. 1 saved four break points in a pivotal 3-4 game. But Cerundolo ultimately had the final say, unleashing his forehand with authority to close out victory after two hours, 17 minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a great match, super tough,\u201d Cerundolo said. \u201cIt was my first match against Daniil. He\u2019s probably one of the only guys on Tour who I have never played. I didn\u2019t know what to expect. He has had a great year so far, so I didn\u2019t expect to be up 6-0 in the first set and a break up in the second.<\/p>\n \u201cSuddenly 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.\u201d<\/p>\n