By
SABC Sport
17th March 2026
Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, is seeking a rebound after his first loss of the season at Indian Wells. The Spaniard could meet Joao Fonseca in round two, assuming Fonseca defeats Fabian Marozsan in round one. He is then projected to face 32nd seed Sebastian Korda in round three, 14th seed Karen Khachanov in round four, and sixth seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals.
Also in the top half, fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti - elevated to a top-four seed after Novak Djokovic's withdrawal - could face compatriot Flavio Cobolli in round four, with fifth seed Alex de Minaur potentially waiting in the quarter-finals after navigating a tough section including Stefanos Tsitsipas and Arthur Fils.
The bottom half is led by Sinner, Miami Open 2024 champion and freshly crowned Indian Wells winner. He could face Damir Dzumhur in round two, followed by 30th seed Corentin Moutet and 15th seed Andrey Rublev. His projected quarter-final opponent is seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who may meet 26th seed Arthur Rinderknech and 12th seed Jakub Mensik en route.
Also in the bottom half, third seed Alexander Zverev is projected to clash with Sinner in the semi-finals. Zverev's path could see him face Brandon Nakashima, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and eighth seed Ben Shelton, who shares a mini-section with ninth seed and 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev - the recent Indian Wells finalist and one of the season's in-form players.
With Alcaraz, Sinner, Zverev, and Medvedev in the mix, the Miami Open promises high-stakes battles right from the early rounds.
