By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Four weeks before the start of the 2026 Miami Open, Martin Landaluce of Spain was the 11th player listed on the alternate just to play in the qualifying tournament at the 2026 Miami Open.
And four days before the end of the entire event, the No. 151-ranked Landaluce is one of the eight players still standing, going deeper in the tournament than his countryman world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, former U.S. Open champions Daniil Medvedev and Marin Cilic and former major finalists like Taylor Fritz, Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas as well as 82 other players in the main draw of the tournament (and the 47 other players who played with him in the qualifying tournament) as of the start of the quarterfinals.
With players above him pulling out of the main draw and qualifying entry lists due to injury or choosing to play lower-level Challenger events, Landaluce found himself sliding into the Miami Open qualifying event as the seventh-to-last player to get into the 48-player qualifying tournament where players have to win two matches just to earn one of the 12 wild card spots in the Miami Open’s 96-player singles field. The 20-year-old Landaluce beat American Mackie McDonald and Thiago Tirante of Argentina to get into the main draw where he then defeated in succession No. 70 Marcos Giron of the USA, No. 18 Luciano Darderi of Italy, No. 15 Karen Khachanov of Russia and No. 36 Sebi Korda of the USA to reach the Final 8 at the Hard Rock Stadium complex. To boot, Landaluce saved a match point against Korda in his 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 victory.
“I try not to look at it but still being 151, I was thinking I could do a pretty good tournament. I play good here. I’m playing at a high level, and I know it” said Landaluce in his post-match press conference after beating Korda. “So, I just needed to connect the things I’m improving, play aggressively, and go for the matches. And this tournament is feeling amazing because I’m being able to do everything.”
Entering the 2026 Miami Open, Landaluce only had a 2-9 career record in ATP Tour level matches, one coming at the Miami Open in 2024 over fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar as a wild card entry into the event before losing in the second round to Ben Shelton.
In his post-match press conference after his win over Korda, Landaluce was asked to speak about his life and career story and his special connection to 22-time major winner and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
“These past years, I’ve been working, I’ve been practicing on Rafa Nadal’s Academy. I go there so many weeks in the year and it’s a place that I feel like home,” he said. “I feel really nice there. They’re amazing players. I’ve been practicing with Rafa’s since I turned 14, so I think that’s been really nice for my level, to watch someone, to play with someone (like) Rafa and to speak with him to get some of his tips watching practice the day-by-day. I think that got into my head the last times we practiced, because he was giving everything. He was respecting me so much, like I was 15, 16, and he would play with me, like top one. He was giving everything.”
“I feel thankful with the academy, with him personally, to give me the chance to do it there,” he continued. “And it’s been great these past years. And yeah, my game has been improving and developing in a good way. And I think I have part of his mentality, part of the Spanish spirit, the fighting spirit, and I try to keep that.”
Landaluce’s run is yet another illustration at how deep the talent is on the ATP Tour. Last fall, Valentin Vacherot on Monaco was ranked No. 204 in the world when he got into the qualifying tournament at the Rolex Shanghai Masters event, like the Miami Open at ATP Masters 1000 level tournament, and went on to win the tournament.
