Player Features
LandLuce’s Miami success: ‘Everything is coming together this week’
The Spaniard will play against Lehka on Wednesday
25 March 2026
atp tour
Martin Landluis is into his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
By ATPTour.com/es Staff
Martin Landluce is enjoying a career-changing week in Miami. Not just because he has reached the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 at the age of 20, but the manner in which he has done so.
Landluis swept two qualifying rounds to earn his spot in the main draw and once there, rattled off three consecutive wins against top-50 players, whereas his record against that group before reaching Florida was 0–4.
“It’s hard to imagine doing it after the qualies, but I try to do it in every tournament. Here, the level is incredibly high in every round, it’s very difficult,” said Landalus. “Today I can be happy; parts of the match make me feel proud and allow me to think about the next match. Matches are so difficult that it would be a mistake to think long term. Right now I’m thinking about the quarters and trying to make a good match tomorrow.”
The latest hurdle he overcame came on Tuesday in the form of Sebastian Korda, the same man who earlier sent Carlos Alcaraz packing. Landluis achieved his victory in the most difficult way a young player can do – starting poorly, making consistent efforts and winning when the cards fell. Landluis lost the first set 2-6 and saved a match point in the second set tie-break and eventually completed the comeback 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4.
The theme that defined his match and, by extension, his week, is one of composure under great pressure. In the second set tie-break, when Korda was one point away from taking the ‘W’, Landalus stood firm. He withstood the pressure, took the momentum in his favor and stole the breaker. From there, the third set became a battle of energy and wits under the hot Miami sun. Korda called for medical assistance, but Landalus was undeterred and eventually booked his place in the next round with the kind of determination that cannot be taught, only earned by surviving such days.
The Spaniard offered a no-frills assessment of how he handled the situation: “I had a difficult moment while serving for the match at 5-4,” he said. “I don’t think I did anything wrong, he played very well and, at such a high level if you lose even a little bit or the opponent does something better, the match becomes complicated. That happened to me in the last round against Tirante. It was a very difficult match. The key to the tournament for me is to trust myself, to believe that at some point when I need to I can change gears.”
His comeback against Korda also lacked luster. It was a continuation of the trend that Landalus has been repeating this week as if it were a lifeline, competing without expecting any favors.
Landalus said, “When they broke me down and started playing better, I knew I had to give it my all. These are very good players and you have to go out to win. That gave me a lot of confidence going forward.” “Against Karen, I went in with the same mentality, and today was no different [against] A tough opponent who was beating me. You try to hang in there, keep fighting, keep believing in yourself until your level gets a little better, and everything flows more from there. I’m glad that these early stages, where sometimes you can lose without showing your true level, are going well here and people can see how far I can go. It’s a good feeling.”
What stands out most is perhaps the context of his victory. Landluis started the tournament ranked 151st in the PIF ATP Rankings and still reached the quarters, which is historically rare in Miami. Furthermore, he has become the first player born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals in this category of tournaments.
Martin has faced another challenging week. His success is by no means the result of easy encounters, he has been on a mission from the beginning. Luciano Darderi was his first major and it was a win that opened the door to the third round of the Masters 1000 for the first time. Next came Karen Khachanov, against whom Landluis made his debut in the last 16 of the Masters 1000. Their third big man was Korda, who was already in the news for his win over Alcaraz and playing with the home crowd behind him.
How does Landluce explain these results? Consistency, routine and a determination not to lower your standards: “To perform well every week and maintain a consistent level, you have to repeat the same things,” Landluys said. “I have very calm habits that help me function normally every day. This week, in terms of improvement both in practice and in matches, I have not allowed myself to be passive or play below the level I need to. I think that is necessary against such difficult opponents. Go after the match and have confidence in myself.”
Another result of all this, and one that would normally seem a little premature in March, is that Landluis is on the brink of the top 100 in the PIF ATP rankings. Plus, his week was a reminder of how short the gap is between tours.
“The level is very high in the Challengers and the top 100 or top 150 players. That’s why it can take some players six months, a year or more to advance. The level is really strong,” Landalus said. “When they get their chance at the top, they usually perform well. In my case, everything is coming together this week and I hope that continues. I think there is a tremendous level on all tours and we should support them, because they all contribute in weeks like this. We push each other and it’s great to see everyone progressing.”
What some fans may not know is that Landluce is a multiple-time qualifier for the ATP Next Gen Accelerator, which provides additional playing opportunities for those who earn a spot in the program by becoming the best emerging players in the junior, college or traditional pathways. Last year Landluce used Next Gen Accelerator entries into the ATP 250 main draw (Gjestad), the ATP 250 qualifying draw (Marseille) and two ATP Challenger 125 main draws (Canberra and Birmingham). Earlier this year, he was able to enter the Brisbane ATP 250 qualifying. Each of these entries was another chance for the Spaniard to gain experience up to this moment in Miami.
There is also a human side to this success. Landluis dedicated Korda’s victory to his grandmother, who recently passed away.
After the match, the Madrid native also talked about the people around him and the support that is not visible on the scoreboard but can lift a player up when he is down match points in a tie-break.
“I talk with Carlitos and Rafa from time to time. I spoke with Rafa at LED. We had conversations that helped me a lot. I have seen Carlos every few days,” said Landluis. “They’re both really nice people, always ready to support and help Spanish tennis move forward. They haven’t said anything to me in these last rounds, but I know they’re there, I know they’re happy with what I’m doing and I hope to keep meeting with them to learn as much as possible.”
Nadal himself evaluated what Landluis achieved in Miami on Tuesday. “He has taken a step forward,” said the young 22-time Grand Slam champion, who trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy through Movistar. “I think he has some great shots and he just needs to keep improving on some little things that will make a big difference.”
The next step is no longer just to have “an extraordinary tournament”, but to fight for a place in the Masters 1000 semi-finals. For a guy who had an 0-4 record against top 50 players before Miami, it’s hard to put into words how big of a jump this would be.