Doubles
King/Friends rally from brink to stun Melo/Zverev in Miami opener
Singles stars De Minaur/Hijikata lose to Harrison/Skupski
March 23, 2026
ATP Tour
Evan King and John Friends in motion on Sunday in Miami.
By ATP Employees
Evan King and John Friends earned a shocking victory on the Miami Open offered by Itau on Sunday after they staged a comeback to upset the latest Acapulco champions Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6(5), 10-4 within the opening spherical.
In a match of slender margins, King and Friends maintained their composure to keep away from an early loss. Whereas trailing by a set and a pair of/5 within the second-set tie-break, they reeled off 5 consecutive factors to clinch the set, finally sealing victory in a single hour and 38 minutes. The duo crucially saved 5 of the seven break factors it confronted, based on Infosys ATP Stats.
Zverev will intention to proceed his singles marketing campaign in Miami on Monday when he’ll face Marin Cilic within the fourth spherical.
King and Friends will subsequent face third seeds Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski. The Australian Open champions triumphed towards singles standouts of their opening match on Sunday after they eased previous Australians Alex de Minaur and Rinky Hijikata 6-2, 6-3 in 56 minutes.
In different first-round doubles motion on Sunday, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos outlasted Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler 6-4, 5-7, 10-5. The highest seeds will subsequent face Frenchmen Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti, who defeated Luke Johnson and Jan Zielinski 6-4, 7-6(2).
Fourth seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten additionally superior to the second spherical with a 6-3, 6-2 win towards Andre Goransson and Alex Michelsen. They are going to subsequent play Santiago Gonzalez and David Pel, who rallied previous Luciano Darderi and Fernando Romboli 7-6(3), 6-2, 10-8.
