MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Open is underway in South Florida, bringing many of the biggest names in tennis to Hard Rock Stadium for one of the sport’s premier events outside the Grand Slams.
The tournament marks the second leg of the “Sunshine Double,” following Indian Wells, and features a loaded field on both the men’s and women’s sides.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz headlines the men’s draw, while Aryna Sabalenka leads the women’s field as the top-ranked player in the world.
Both Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner arrive in Miami Gardens in strong form and are looking to complete a rare Sunshine Double after their recent success out west.
Other top contenders include Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud on the men’s side, while the women’s draw features stars such as Iga Świątek, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and South Florida native Coco Gauff.
One of the biggest storylines, however, centers on Venus Williams.
The three-time Miami Open champion is back in the field and chasing a fourth title.
Williams, 45, is by far the oldest player in either the men’s or women’s draw.
She was granted a wild card entry into her record 20th Miami Open appearance, adding a veteran presence to a field filled with rising stars and top-ranked talent.
Despite the star power, the tournament is missing a few notable names.
Novak Djokovic, a six-time Miami Open champion, withdrew ahead of the event with a right shoulder injury, while Emma Raducanu also pulled out due to illness.
Play will begin on Tuesday with a full slate of first-round matches, particularly on the women’s side.
Among the early matchups, Britain’s Katie Boulter faces Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while Sofia Kenin, a former Grand Slam champion, is also in action. Other Day 1 matchups include Magda Linette against Varvara Gracheva and Shuai Zhang taking on Sorana Cirstea.
The tournament features a 96-player draw, with 32 seeded players receiving first-round byes, setting up marquee matchups later in the week.
The men’s field also includes rising and established names such as Ben Shelton, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe, while defending champion Jakub Mensik returns after his breakthrough title run last year.
Matches are being played across 27 outdoor hard courts at the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens, which has hosted the event since 2019.
In addition to the on-court action, fans can experience a festival-like atmosphere featuring food vendors, shops and interactive attractions, including a growing padel presence on site.
The opening days have already presented some challenges, with rain disrupting qualifying matches earlier in the week, but organizers say fans have still turned out in large numbers to enjoy the event.
Looking ahead, first-round play continues through Wednesday, followed by the second round on Thursday and Friday.
The tournament will then move into the later stages, with the fourth round scheduled for March 23, quarterfinals on March 24 and 25, and semifinals on March 26.
Championship weekend is set for March 28 and 29, when the men’s and women’s finals will take place.
With a deep field featuring stars like Alcaraz, Sinner and Sabalenka, along with a mix of rising talent and seasoned veterans, the Miami Open is once again expected to deliver two weeks of high-level tennis in South Florida.
Late rounds multi-session packages and parking passes were available on Monday afternoon.
For more information about the tournament’s schedule and tickets, visit this page.
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