Rei Sakamoto def. Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 3-6, 7(9)-6(7) — Miami Open 2026 R128

Match recap

Rei Sakamoto defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 3-6, 7(9)-6(7) in the R128 of the Miami Open 2026.

Rei Sakamoto, ranked #164 and winless in his last five completed matches, knocked out the #92 Aleksandar Kovacevic by winning 77% of his second-serve points to Kovacevic's 39% — a 38-point gap that decided everything the first serves didn't. Kovacevic broke back in game four of the second set to level it, but the third went to a tiebreak with no breaks, where a match point came and went before Sakamoto closed it 9-7. He also kept the error column clean: 12 unforced to Kovacevic's 30. Daniil Medvedev is next.

Match stats

Aleksandar Kovacevic: 21 aces, 29 winners, 75% first serves, 2 double faults. Rei Sakamoto: 17 aces, 27 winners, 70% first serves, 0 double faults.

Profiles: Aleksandar Kovacevic · Rei Sakamoto — Miami Open 2026

Head-to-head

This is the first meeting between Aleksandar Kovacevic and Rei Sakamoto.