Fernandez won all three age divisions in the 12s, 14s, 16s, and 18s. She won the 12s at 11; the 14s at 12; the 16s at 13, and the 18s at 14, an unprecedented feat.

Before coming to Miami on a wild card, 19-year-old Filipino Alexandra Eala was ranked 140th and had won two WTA level matches without ever getting into a Grand Slam tournament.

It was no different Wednesday as the 17th-seeded Fils, a powerhouse 20-year-old, who seems to enjoy taking down the top players, began finding the corners with his 95-mph forehands and wicked low backhand slices that were just out of Zverev’s strike zones to win the next four games.

The stars seem aligned for top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka as she keeps facing opponents she’s never lost to.

This is where Francisco Cerundolo’s tennis life truly began. Toiling around the Challenger Circuit since he was 17, the lanky Argentine came into the Miami Open Masters 1000 presented by Itaú in 2022 without ever winning an ATP level match on a hard court.

While one dream was dashed, another lived on when Lucky Loser Adam Walton outlasted Hong Kong wild card Coleman Wong in a roller-coaster, three-set, third-round victory at the Miami Open presented by Itaú on an overcast, comfortable Monday morning.

I’m happy to carry the flag to the next day, into the next round and hopefully I can represent the best I can for the rest of the tournament.

“Growing up, it was tough,’’ said Eala, who had never won a match in a Masters event or Grand Slam until this week. “You didn’t have anyone where you’re from to pave the way. I hope this takes the Philippines to the next step.”

That said, there are plenty of budding superstars sticking around to entertain the thousands of fans strolling around the fun-filled grounds.