Carlos Alcaraz, having seen his Indian Wells three-peat attempt thwarted, has shifted his focus to a strong rebound in Miami. With a touch of playful confidence, he recalled his experience, “The last time that I lost here (Indian Wells) was the semifinal (in 2022), and after all, I won Miami, so I think I will go for it. I will make the most of myself in Miami.” Now, he prepares to face David Goffin of Belgium in the round of 64. The question is: will Alcaraz begin his Miami campaign with a decisive victory?

Carlos Alcaraz vs David Goffin: Preview

Carlos Alcaraz started his season reaching the QF of the 2025 AO. However, he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in four sets. After that, he made a strong comeback and won the title in Rotterdam, but then he yet again had a disappointing exit from Qatar.

As things stand, Alcaraz will be entering this match, following his 1-6,6-0,4-6 loss to the British star, Jack Draper in the SF of the Indian Wells Open. After losing that match to Draper, he highlighted his performance in the first set by saying “one of the worst sets I have played in my career.” Can he bounce back from that disappointing exit from one of his favorite tournaments?

Meanwhile, his opponent, David Goffin, has struggled a bit this season. His best performance this year came at the Mexican Open, where he reached the QF. Other than that, he has made early exits from the following tournaments. However, Goffin has got a winning start in Miami!

He defeated Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic by 2-6,6-4,6-2 in the R128  round. Can he keep his winning run intact by forcing a major upset at the 2025 Miami Open?

Alcaraz vs Goffin: Head-to-Head

Carlos Alcaraz and David Goffin have crossed paths only twice in their careers so far. At the moment, their H2H record is leveled at 1-1.

• 2022 Astana R32: Goffin 7-5,6-3.
• 2021 Melbourne 1 R32: Alcaraz 6-3,6-3.

Prediction: Alcaraz to win this match in straight sets

Well, Carlos Alcaraz knows this surface pretty well. He won the title here in 2022. Whereas Goffin’s best record in this tournament was reaching the semis in 2016. If we take a look at his numbers, Alcaraz (3) has a win-loss record of 15-4 this season. On the other hand, David Goffin (55) has a win-loss record of just 4-7.

Talking about their playing styles, Goffin is known for his baseline-oriented, aggressive playing style, characterized by powerful groundstrokes, particularly his two-handed backhand and excellent court movement and return game. His tactical acumen, along with his incredible ability to extend rallies to wear down his opponents, is truly exceptional. However, his lack of powerful serve can make him a bit vulnerable against aggressive players who can dominate points right from the start of the match.

Having said that, there is one point to be noted: Goffin hit 12 aces in his previous match against Vukic!

The Belgian seems to have improved a lot in his serves, but is it enough to topple the Spaniard? Well, Alcaraz is known for his aggressive, all-court style, characterized by a powerful forehand, solid backhand, and a strong serve, making him a formidable opponent on any surface. He can bring a lot of variation to his game with his effective drop shots and net play.

Considering all these factors, I think it’d be a bit difficult for Goffin to hold on to this match for too long. So, Alcaraz is the favorite here!