Daniil Medvedev rallies past teenager Rei Sakamoto in Miami Open second-round match at Hard Rock Stadium

Medvedev recovers after first-set loss to move into the third round in Miami Gardens

Daniil Medvedev extended his 2026 Miami Open campaign with a three-set victory over 19-year-old Rei Sakamoto, ending the Japanese teenager’s run in the tournament’s second round at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Medvedev dropped the opening set in a tight tie-break before taking control of the match, winning the second and third sets to advance. The final score was 6-7(10), 6-3, 6-1.

Sakamoto’s Miami run began with a breakthrough main-draw win

Sakamoto entered the event as one of the tour’s emerging “NextGen” prospects and arrived in the second round after recording his first ATP Tour main-draw win at a Masters 1000 event in Miami. In the opening round, he defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7).

The second-round pairing placed Sakamoto against Medvedev, a former Miami champion and a fixture among the ATP’s established contenders. The contrast in experience shaped the match’s progression: Sakamoto held his level long enough to take the first set, but Medvedev’s steadier baseline work and improved effectiveness across the final two sets proved decisive.

How the match turned after the opening tie-break

The first set remained close through the tie-break, which extended beyond the standard seven points. Sakamoto emerged with the set after edging Medvedev 12-10 in the breaker.

From there, the match swung. Medvedev won the second set 6-3 to level the contest, then accelerated in the decider, allowing Sakamoto only one game as he closed the match 6-1.

What the result means for both players

• Medvedev moves into the third round, keeping his Miami title hopes intact as the men’s draw continues in South Florida.
• Sakamoto exits after two matches, but leaves Miami with a milestone Masters 1000 main-draw victory and a first ATP Tour win.

The match underscored the challenge facing first-time Masters 1000 winners when they meet elite opponents across best-of-three sets, where managing momentum shifts often becomes as important as shotmaking.

The Miami Open runs from March 17 to March 29, 2026, on outdoor hard courts at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.