Top 5 Photos, 3/16: Upsets abound in Mexico and Dubai

Two No. 1 seeds lost on Tuesday, including Dominic Thiem, in Dubai, to Lloyd Harris.

By Ed McGroganPublished March 16, 2021

The top two seeds fell in WTA Monterrey (Sloane Stephens and Nadia Podoroska); the third seed went down in ATP Acapulco (Diego Schwartzman); and the No. 1 and No. 5 seeds stumbled in Dubai (Dominic Thiem and David Goffin).

But the photograpers around the world were all winners in our book.

These are the Top 5 photos from Tuesday. (All photos Getty)

If a seed falls in Acapulco and not many fans are around...

Lorenzo Musetti's 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 upset of Schwartzman wasn't seen by too many fans in person, but it reverberated around the tennis world.

ACAPULCO, MEXICO - MARCH 16: General view of Princess Mundo Imperial stadium prior the match between Diego Schwartzman of Argentina and Lorenzo Musetti of Italy as part of the Telcel Mexican Open 2021 at Princess Mundo Imperial on March 16, 2021 in Acapulco, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

Toppled

But an even bigger upset took place at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where qualifier Lloyd Harris ousted the US Open champion Thiem, 6-3, 6-4.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MARCH 16: Lloyd Harris of South Africa reacts during his singles match against Dominic Thiem of Austria during Day Ten of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on March 16, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

Kei-O

Kei Nishikori took a step toward his goal of returning to the Top 10 with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Goffin in Dubai.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MARCH 16: Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts during his singles match against David Goffin of Belgium during Day Ten of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on March 16, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

Aim High

One top seed who did advance on Tuesday? Denis Shapovalov, a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 winner over Jan-Lennard Struff.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MARCH 16: Denis Shapovalov of Canada serves during his singles match against Jen-Lennard Struff of Germany during Day Ten of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on March 16, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

Bernabe Zapata Miralles

This photo of Stephens isn't from Tuesday, but it's taken from another first-round defeat in 2021: to Yulia Putintseva, at the Australian Open. On 3/16, she fell to Kristina Kucova, 6-2, 6-2.