Alcaraz will benefit from this defeat

Pedro de Pablos | 23 Mar 2026 | 17.38

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The defeat of Carlos Alcaraz in the third round of the 2026 Miami Open against Sebastian Korda has sparked a myriad of opinions in the tennis world. Despite many viewing it as an absolute failure, a former world number one like Justin Henin has normalized this result, stating that it will benefit the Spanish player for the clay court season.

In fact, there was much controversy in recent days about whether Carlos Alcaraz should have skipped the 2026 Miami Open after reaching the semifinals of Indian Wells. The Spanish player was not defending points due to his first-round loss last year to David Goffin, so it would have been a good opportunity to rest before the clay court swing, where he defends a significant amount of points crucial for the battle for the number one spot against Jannik Sinner.

That is why Henin has acknowledged on Eurosport France that having more vacation days is a positive factor for the player from Murcia. "First of all, we have to recognize the biggest victory of Korda's career. Players are more or less overshadowed throughout the year when they play against Alcaraz and Sinner. And even when they beat them, we question them. They are just humans. This tour is tough. Alcaraz will benefit from this defeat. This could be our chance to see him in Monte Carlo. Last year, that's how it went."

Henin believes these rest days will benefit Alcaraz

Obviously, the competitive nature will make Carlos Alcaraz upset with this early defeat, as he aims to win every tournament he enters. However, a year ago, he faced an even more dramatic situation and still dominated the clay court swing. "In any case, this victory will mean much more to Korda than this defeat does to Alcaraz, even though he hates losing and came to Miami seeking something bigger," Henin revealed.

For that reason, the former Belgian tennis player sees it absolutely normal for these situations to happen occasionally, especially in a player like Alcaraz who relies greatly on his motivation and how much he enjoys himself on the court. "He hasn't lost any of his magic just because he had two tougher tournaments. He lacked a bit of energy, a bit of endurance, which is perfectly understandable considering what he has achieved over the last year," she concluded.

As he mentioned in yesterday evening's press conference, the first thing Carlos Alcaraz will do is return to Murcia with his family and friends to recharge his batteries, although this year he has taken the defeat at the Miami Open much better than last year. In 2025, he seemed burnt out, not wanting to pick up a racket again for several days, and this time he emerges satisfied from the American swing and eager to achieve equal or better results than last year in the upcoming European tournaments in the following weeks.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Alcaraz se beneficiará de esta derrota"