Shelton and Rublev sent packing as Miami Open loses six more seeds in the men’s draw
Shevchenko stuns the home favourite, Tabilo dismantles Rublev, and six seeds fall on a wild day at Hard Rock Stadium
Ben Shelton, Miami Open 2026 | © Debby Wong/ZUMA Press Wire/SIPA
Ben Shelton (No.8) and Andrey Rublev (No.15) were both eliminated on Saturday at the Miami Open, as six more seeds fell in a new day of disorder at Hard Rock Stadium, adding to the six who had already crashed out on Friday. Shelton lost to Alexander Shevchenko 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, while Rublev was taken apart by Alejandro Tabilo 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.
Seeds of the bottom half of the draw at the Miami Open
No. 8 Shelton – OUT
No. 31 Humbert – IN
No. 18 Cerundolo – IN
No. 9 Medvedev – IN
No. 16 Davidovich Fokina – OUT
No. 20 Tien – OUT
No. 27 Nakashima – OUT
No. 3 Zverev – IN
No. 7 Auger-Aliassime – IN
No. 26 Rinderknech – OUT
No. 19 Tiafoe – IN
No. 12 Mensik – IN
No. 15 Rublev – OUT
No. 23 Norrie – OUT
No. 30 Moutet – IN
No. 2 Sinner – IN
Shevchenko’s win over the home favourite was a performance of enormous mental fortitude. “There was a moment where I was feeling a bit tired. As soon as I got my momentum back, I was able to bring the energy back.”
He fed off his small but ferociously vocal support box throughout, and when asked whether the loud encouragement to his team was a deliberate tactic, he grinned: “I’m just an emotional guy. I love when my team is pumped. And when Ben is also pumped and I have to play against the stadium, I need at least three guys there supporting me.” It was his first top-10 win since 2024, his first Masters R32 appearance since the same year, and by all accounts one of the finest matches of his career.
The crowd with Tabilo
Tabilo’s win over Rublev was equally composed. The Chilean shrugged off losing the first set to dominate proceedings thereafter, securing his first top-20 win of the season and only his second time reaching the Miami third round. The crowd was firmly behind him throughout, and he looks a dangerous floater in the bottom half of the draw.
The seed carnage didn’t stop at Shelton and Rublev. Davidovich Fokina (No.16) was ousted by Quentin Halys 7-6, 6-4, Luca Tien (No.20) fell to Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, Brandon Nakashima (No.27) was beaten by Marin Cilic 4-6, 6-2, 7-6, and Cameron Norrie (No.23) was eliminated by Alex Michelsen 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 in a contest that went the full three sets.
Six seeds down in a single day – and that on top of Alex De Minaur (No.5), Alexander Bublik (No.10), Casper Ruud (No.11), Flavio Cobolli (No.13), Luciano Darderi (No.17) and Jack Draper (No.25) all going out on Friday. Miami is living up to its reputation as the tournament where nothing is safe.
Entertaining Moutet – Machac
If pure entertainment was what you wanted, Corentin Moutet (No.30) and Tomas Machac delivered it in spades. The match was a rollercoaster from start to finish, with Moutet pulling through 6-0, 1-6, 6-4 in what felt like three entirely different matches rolled into one. After bagelling Machac in the opener, Moutet promptly surrendered six straight games in the second – a swing so extreme it bordered on performance art.
The decider was far more balanced, with the Frenchman eventually breaking in the third game and closing it out to book his place in the last 32. It was their first-ever meeting on the main tour, and if this is what a debut head-to-head looks like, one hopes there are more to come. Waiting for Moutet in the next round is Jannik Sinner (No.2) – a mouthwatering prospect that the Frenchman will approach with zero fear.
Away from the courts but no less memorable: 19-year-old Rafael Jodar, who had just won his second Masters 1000 match of his career, was introduced to Queen Sofia of Spain following his victory. Quite the afternoon for the young Spaniard.
Sinner, Alexander Zverev (No.3) and Daniil Medvedev (No.9) all advanced without major alarms, with Felix Auger-Aliassime (No.7), Frances Tiafoe (No.19) and Francisco Cerundolo (No.18) also progressing.
