Lilli Tagger defeated Ella Seidel 6–7 6–4 7–5 in the first round of the Miami Masters 1000 on hard court on 19 March 2026. As the pre-match favourite at 1.65 odds, Tagger delivered the expected result despite a competitive opening set that went to a tiebreak. Seidel, the underdog at 2.19, pushed hard throughout and forced a third set, but Tagger's superior consistency ultimately prevailed in the decider. The three-set affair underscored the quality of early-round tennis at this level, with both players demonstrating resilience across the hard courts. Tagger's victory sets up a second-round clash and reinforces her status as a seeded contender at Miami.