The players’ field has been announced for the Miami Open. For the second year in a row, the tournament will be held at Hard Rock Stadium, the state of the art facilities in Miami Gardens.

As usual, the ATP and WTA’s premier players will be in attendance at the 2020 Miami Open which will be played March 23 – April 5.

Leading the men is 2020 Australian Open champion and world number one Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is a 6 time champion in Miami and will be looking for his 7th Miami title. If he captures the title he will make history on the men’s side by holding the most Miami titles. Djokovic is currently tied with Andre Agassi.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will also be battling for the trophy. Nadal will be making his first appearance at Hard Rock Stadium after pulling out of the tournament last year due to a knee injury he sustained at Indian Wells. Federer returns to Miami as the defending champion. He captured his fourth Miami title in 2019 by defeating the 2018 defending champion John Isner. Isner will also be on hand attempting to make his third straight finals appearance. Other notables on the men’s side of the draw include 2020 Australian Open runner up Dominic Thiem, 2019 US Open runner up Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and Stan Wawrinka.

Defending champion and French Open champion Ashleigh Barty returns in pursuit of her second consecutive Miami title while hometown favorite Serena Williams will try to bag a 9th Miami open title. She already holds the record in Miami with a total of 8 titles. The women’s field is stacked with Major champions including Simona Halep, Bianca Andreescu, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, Garbiñe Muguruza, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Sloane Stephens, Jelena Ostapenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Here is the official press release from the tournament:

Miami Gardens, FL (February 11, 2020) – The 2020 Miami Open presented by Itaú returns for its second year at Hard Rock Stadium, March 23-April 5, and fans will have the opportunity to see tennis’ biggest stars while enjoying all the new fan experiences at the event’s world-class venue.

The Miami Open announced today the full player field for the 2020 tournament. The player field features 19 players who have a combined 100 career Grand Slam singles titles, including all-time record holders Roger Federer and Serena Williams. Reigning Australian Open champions Novak Djokovic and Sofia Kenin top one of the strongest ATP and WTA tournament draws of 2020.

Overall, each of the top 76 ranked men and 74 ranked women have entered to compete in Miami.

Federer, the 2019 Miami Open champion, and Djokovic, lead a men’s field that includes 19-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal and boasts the next generation of ATP stars including World No. 4 Daniil Medvedev, 2019 ATP Finals Champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, World No. 7 Alexander Zverev and Australian star Nick Kyrgios.

The player field also included three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, 2018 Miami Open champion John Isner, 2020 Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem and nine-time ATP tour winner Gael Monfils.

The women’s field is even more impressive.

Kenin, who hails from Pembroke Pines, Florida, is fresh off her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne and joins an impressive list of Grand Slam singles champions competing in Miami.

Leading the way is 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who is looking to win her ninth title in Miami, and defending Miami Open champion Ashleigh Barty, the reigning French Open champion.

The list of Grand Slam champions in the 2020 Miami Open player field includes 2019 Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, defending US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, Garbiñe Muguruza, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Sloane Stephens, Jelena Ostapenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Other qualified players to watch include 2019 Miami Open finalist Karolina Pliskova, World No. 4 Elina Svitolina, Swiss star Belinda Bencic and American, Madison Keys.

The future stars of women’s tennis will also be on display with 18-year-old Amanda Anisimova, from Aventura, and 15-year-old Coco Gauff, from Delray Beach, in the field. Both claimed their first WTA singles title in 2019.

Following a spectacular Hard Rock Stadium debut last March, fans can expect an even greater guest experience that includes the best in art, food, fashion and music. Some new and exciting changes in 2020 include the Sky View at Hard Rock Stadium, a gondola ride that will give fans the opportunity to see the venue from a unique perspective. The site will also have increased shade structures and a new Grandstand video board.

Tickets to the 2020 Miami Open are on sale now and available by phone at 305-943-6736 or online at www.miamiopen.com. Individual session tickets start at only $16 so get your tickets today. Ticket packages, group programs, and luxury hospitality offerings also are available.

Qualifying rounds will be March 23-24 and will determine 12 additional slots in each singles draw. The Miami Open also will award wildcards to five men and eight women. The women’s main draw begins on Tuesday, March 24, followed by the first round of the men’s main draw on Wednesday, March 25.

ATP Acceptance List (as of February 11, 2020)

Name Country Rank

Novak Djokovic SRB 1
Rafael Nadal ESP 2
Roger Federer SUI 3
Dominic Thiem AUT 4
Daniil Medvedev RUS 5
Stefanos Tsitsipas GRE 6
Alexander Zverev GER 7
Matteo Berrettini ITA 8
Gael Monfils FRA 9
David Goffin BEL 10
Fabio Fognini ITA 11
Roberto Bautista Agut ESP 12
Stan Wawrinka SUI 13
Diego Schwartzman ARG 14
Kevin Anderson RSA 14 EP
Andrey Rublev RUS 15
Denis Shapovalov CAN 16
Karen Khachanov RUS 17
John Isner USA 18
Benoit Paire FRA 19
Nick Kyrgios AUS 20
Felix Auger-Aliassime CAN 21
Grigor Dimitrov BUL 22
Dusan Lajovic SRB 23
Alex de Minaur AUS 24
Kei Nishikori JPN 25
Cristian Garin CHI 26
Guido Pella ARG 27
Nikoloz Basilashvili GEO 28
Hubert Hurkacz POL 29
Pablo Carreno Busta ESP 30
Borna Coric CRO 31
Milos Raonic CAN 32
Daniel Evans GRB 33
Jan-Lennard Struff GER 34
Laslo Djere SRB 35
Taylor Fritz USA 36
Marin Cilic CRO 37
Sam Querrey USA 38
Filip Krajinovic SRB 39
Reilly Opelka USA 40
John Millman AUS 41
Albert Ramos-Vinolas ESP 42
Ugo Humbert FRA 43
Adrian Mannarino FRA 44
Casper Ruud NOR 45
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA 46
Fernando Verdasco ESP 47
Pablo Cuevas URU 48
Lorenzo Sonego ITA 49
Radu Albot MDA 50
Feliciano Lopez ESP 51
Aljaz Bedene SLO 52
Tennys Sandgren USA 53
Miomir Kecmanovic SRB 54
Richard Gasquet FRA 55
Alexander Bublik KAZ 56
Gilles Simone FRA 57
Pablo Andujar ESP 58
Cameron Norrie GRB 59
Lucas Pouille FRA 60
Jeremy Chardy FRA 61
Kyle Edmund GRB 62
Jordan Thompson AUS 63
Yoshihito Nishioka JPN 64
Ricardas Berankis LTU 65
Marton Fucsovics HUN 66
Mikhail Kukushkin KAZ 67
Joao Sousa POR 68
Juan Ignacio Londero ARG 69
Tommy Paul USA 70
Egor Gerasimov BLR 71
Lu Yen-Hsun TPE 71 EP
Jiri Vesely CZE 72
Marco Cecchinato ITA 73
Vasek Pospisil CAN 73 EP
Mikael Ymer SWE 74
Steve Johnson USA 75
Corentin Moutet FRA 76
EP – Entry Protection

WTA Acceptance List (as of February 11, 2020)

Name Country Rank

Ashleigh Barty AUS 1
Simona Halep ROU 2
Karolina Pliskova CZE 3
Elina Svitolina UKR 4
Belinda Bencic SUI 5
Bianca Andreescu CAN 6
Sofia Kenin USA 7
Kiki Bertens NED 8
Serena Williams USA 9
Naomi Osaka JPN 10
Petra Kvitova CZE 11
Madison Keys USA 12
Aryna Sabalenka BLR 13
Johanna Konta GBR 14
Petra Martic CRO 15
Garbiñe Muguruza ESP 16
Marketa Vondrousova CZE 17
Alison Riske USA 18
Elise Mertens BEL 19
Angelique Kerber GER 20
Maria Sakkari GRE 21
Anett Kontaveit EST 22
Donna Vekic CRO 23
Karolina Muchova CZE 24
Elena Rybakina KAZ 25
Dayana Yastremska UKR 26
Wang Qiang CHN 27
Ekaterina Alexandrova RUS 28
Amanda Anisimova USA 29
Barbora Strycova CZE 30
Julia Goerges GER 31
Zhang Shuai CHN 32
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS 33
Yulia Putintseva KAZ 34
Sloane Stephens USA 35
Zheng Saisai CHN 36
Kristina Mladenovic FRA 37
Veronika Kudermetova RUS 38
Hsieh Su-Wei TPE 39
Jelena Ostapenko LAT 40
Anastasija Sevastova LAT 41
Magda Linette POL 42
Polona Hercog SLO 43
Rebecca Peterson SWE 44
Ons Jabeur TUN 45
Caroline Garcia FRA 46
Alison Van Uytvanck BEL 47
Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ 47 SR
Iga Swiatek POL 48
Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS 49
Danielle Collins USA 50
Coco Gauff USA 51
Jennifer Brady USA 52
Victoria Azarenka BLR 53
Anna Blinkova RUS 54
Carla Suárez Navarro ESP 55
Wang Yafan CHN 56
Ajla Tomljanovic AUS 57
Fiona Ferro FRA 58
Katerina Siniakova CZE 59
Marie Bouzkova CZE 60
Alizé Cornet FRA 61
Lauren Davis USA 62
Zarina Diyas KAZ 63
Bernarda Pera USA 64
Viktoria Kuzmova SVK 65
Venus Williams USA 66
Kristyna Pliskova CZE 67
Jil Teichmann SUI 68
Sorana Cirstea ROU 69
Zhu Lin CHN 70
Daria Kasatkina RUS 71
Taylor Townsend USA 72
Laura Siegemund GER 73
Heather Watson GBR 74
SR – Secured Ranking

About the Miami Open presented by Itaú
The 2020 Miami Open will be played March 23 – April 5 at Hard Rock Stadium. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of Miami’s unique personality, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and celebrity appeal, as well as its close proximity to both Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.

About Itaú
Itaú is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 94,000 employees and operations in 19 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.

About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in sports training and league development, as well as marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. IMG is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network.

About Hard Rock Stadium
Hard Rock Stadium is a global entertainment destination that serves as home to the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami football team, Orange Bowl, Super Bowl LIV and the 100th anniversary of the NFL, College Football Playoffs 2021 Final, major concerts, international soccer matches and a host of world-class events. The facility has undergone a $500 million, multi-year renovation privately funded by Owner Stephen Ross.

Ahead of the tournament, the Miami Open announced that it has selected Dunlop as the official ball and racquet. The 2020 Miami Open, which serves as an ATP 1000 Series and a Premier Mandatory WTA event, will take place March 23 through April 5. For the second year in a row the tournament will be held at its new location at Hard Rock Stadium.

Here is the office press release from the Miami Open:

Dunlop today announced it has reached a multi-year agreement with the Miami Open presented by Itaú to become the Official Ball and Racquet for the tournament. Beginning in 2020 the world’s best tennis players will be competing with the Dunlop ATP Extra Duty ball (for the men) and the Dunlop Grand Prix Extra Duty ball (for the women) at the tournament widely regarded as the most glamorous in the sport. The partnership extends Dunlop’s global reach and dominance in the tennis ball market; it is currently the Official Ball of the ATP Tour and the Australian Open, in addition to being played at more ATP tournaments than any other ball, making it the Number One Ball on the ATP Tour. Official tournament merchandise including balls, rackets and souvenir autograph tennis balls will be available for retail sale during the two-week event.

“A key part of our global growth plan is developing partnerships with the most elite tournaments in the world,” said Masahiro Asahino, Dunlop’s Head of Tennis. “The Miami Open is one of those premier tennis events, and the exposure it generates amongst tennis fans in North and South America will help grow our brand in those important markets and beyond.”

“It’s fitting Dunlop’s largest sponsorship in the U.S. will be with the Miami Open, because, in many ways, we have much in common,” said Kai Nitsche, VP and General Manager for Dunlop Sports Americas. “We each have storied pasts, but it’s a recent commitment to the future that is most exciting to fans. In 2017 SRI bought the Dunlop brand, and it has made enormous investments at every level, while just last year the Miami Open moved into its brand new home, Hard Rock Stadium, where it will flourish for years to come.”

“One of my chief goals as Tournament Director is ensuring the players are happy with every aspect of their experience, and the tournament ball is at the top of that list,” said James Blake, Miami Open Tournament Director. “Since my time on Tour, the general consensus among the players is that Dunlop has always produced the best, most consistent ball on Tour, so I’m glad we now have it as the Official Ball of the Miami Open.”

About Dunlop

An undisputed legend in the sport of tennis, Dunlop has produced iconic rackets for the game’s all-time best players and tennis balls worthy of the game’s most elite tournaments for decades. As the Official Ball for both the Australian Open and the ATP Tour, Dunlop’s global reach stretches to tournaments in Melbourne, New York, Shanghai, Rome, Madrid, Monte Carlo and London, home of the 2019 Nitto ATP Tour Finals. The Dunlop Tour Team is led by two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson, and also includes WTA stars Qiang Wang and Taylor Townsend. Dunlop is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries and is headquartered in Kobe, Japan. Learn more at www.dunlopsports.com.

About Sumitomo Rubber Industries

Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) was founded in 1963 in Kobe, Japan and employs over 36,000 people across the world and has sales revenue of over $8.5 billion. SRI acquired the global rights to the Dunlop brand in April 2017 and owns fellow sports companies Srixon, Cleveland Golf and XXIO. SRI specializes in the tire industry but also in providing rubber-based products for many other industries such as medical, construction, marine, sports facilities etc.

About the Miami Open presented by Itaú

The 2020 Miami Open will be played March 23 – April 5 at Hard Rock Stadium. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of Miami’s unique personality, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and celebrity appeal, as well as its close proximity to both Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.

Six time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic is back on court Sunday afternoon. The multiple major winner will face Argentine Frederico Delbonis as he attempts to qualify for the fourth round. This will be the first ATP encounter for these two.

John Isner continues his title defense. In the day’s initial match on stadium court, the American will be challenged by Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas. This will be their maiden meeting on hardcourt. They’ve split their prior two on clay.

The night session will conclude with Australian Nick Kyrgios battling Serbian Dusan Lajovic. Kyrgios walked away with the victory in their one previous showdown last year.

Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic will finally be on court for the first time after getting a walkover into the third round. He will collide with Brit Kyle Edmund.

Here is the order of play for Sunday March 24, 2019:

STADIUM start 12:00 noon
ATP – A. Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) vs [7] J. Isner (USA)

Not Before 2:00 pm
WTA – P. Hercog (SLO) vs [2] S. Halep (ROU)
ATP – [1] N. Djokovic (SRB) vs F. Delbonis (ARG)

Not Before 7:30 pm
WTA – T. Maria (GER) vs [4] S. Stephens (USA)

Not Before 9:00 pm
ATP – [27] N. Kyrgios (AUS) vs D. Lajovic (SRB)

GRANDSTAND start 12:00 noon
WTA – Y. Wang (CHN) vs [25] D. Collins (USA)
ATP – [12] M. Raonic (CAN) vs [19] K. Edmund (GBR)

Not Before 4:00 pm
WTA – [14] D. Kasatkina (RUS) vs V. Williams (USA)
WTA – [5] Ka. Pliskova (CZE) vs A. Cornet (FRA)

Not Before 7:00 pm
ATP – [11] B. Coric (CRO) vs J. Chardy (FRA)

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
ATP – M. Gonzalez (ARG) / H. Zeballos (ARG) vs [4] J. Cabal (COL) / R. Farah (COL)

Not Before 12:00 noon
ATP – [22] R. Bautista Agut (ESP) vs [15] F. Fognini (ITA)
ATP – [17] N. Basilashvili (GEO) vs R. Haase (NED)
ATP – H. Hurkacz (POL) vs [Q] F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
WTA – [6] S. Stosur (AUS) / S. Zhang (CHN) vs L. Kichenok (UKR) / N. Kichenok (UKR)

BUTCH BUCHHOLZ COURT start 11:00 am
ATP – F. Lopez (ESP) / M. Lopez (ESP) vs I. Dodig (CRO) / E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

Not Before 12:30 pm
ATP – R. Bopanna (IND) / D. Shapovalov (CAN) vs [7] M. Granollers (ESP) / N. Mektic (CRO)
WTA – Y. Putintseva (KAZ) vs [11] A. Sevastova (LAT)
WTA – [16] E. Mertens (BEL) vs M. Vondrousova (CZE)
ATP – R. Ram (USA) / J. Salisbury (GBR) vs J. Isner (USA) / S. Querrey (USA)

COURT 6 start 11:00 am
WTA – D. Jurak (CRO) / R. Olaru (ROU) vs L. Arruabarrena (ESP) / H. Watson (GBR)

Not Before 1:00 pm
WTA – [1] B. Krejcikova (CZE) / K. Siniakova (CZE) or [WC] V. Azarenka (BLR) / A. Barty (AUS) vs A. Krunic (SRB) / A. Panova (RUS)
ATP – [6] R. Klaasen (RSA) / M. Venus (NZL) vs M. Middelkoop (NED) / D. Schwartzman (ARG)
ATP – W. Koolhof (NED) / S. Tsitsipas (GRE) vs [2] J. Murray (GBR) / B. Soares (BRA)
WTA – A. Rosolska (POL) / Z. Yang (CHN) or K. Flipkens (BEL) / J. Larsson (SWE) vs [5] G. Dabrowski (CAN) / Y. Xu (CHN)

Three time Miami Open and holder of 20 majors Roger Federer struggled today in his opening match. Still, in the end, the Swiss put away qualifier Radu Albot 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to move on to the third round at the Miami Open.

Playing someone for the first time can be a tricky, Federer dropped the opening game of the match and could not bank on any of the four break points he manufactured. Consequently, Albot, who secured his first ATP tile this year in Delray Beach, grew in confidence. Federer finally capitalized on break point in the second set to push the match to a third set. Once again, in the last set, one break point in Federer’s favor was the difference.

Federer pinpointed that his struggles stemmed from the fact that ” I felt like I was in two minds, how you play sometimes in a first round. You’re looking to take on the ball, but then sometimes you also know you just cannot go big all the time. You also have to hold back. Sometimes you feel like it happens always at the wrong times. You pull the trigger at the wrong times. You’re going safe at the wrong times. That has something to do with how I thought he played his game. He seemed very clear to me, and I wasn’t. In the heat of the moment, I started forgetting stuff also that my coach told me. I felt like all the important points, points that could have led to something interesting for me, I played poorly because I was in two minds. . . I thought actually how I protected my serve, after getting broken in the first game, was actually very good. There’s definitely really some good elements there in the game, but I did struggle obviously. I’m very, very happy that I found a way.”

In addition to the opponent, there was the venue to contend with “there’s definitely always a slight sort of buzz in the stadium. I think it’s more because of the size and the ventilation. You feel there’s always a bit of a noise there, which is sometimes a bit unusual for tennis. Of course, indoors you get that more often. We do have it occasionally. . .a very key element of our sport is you can hear a pin drop. . .Here it’s not so much the case. When somebody hits the ball, it’s not as clear maybe, which then can feel almost like it’s a little bit of an empty space. That can feel maybe a little bit different. I didn’t feel like it was totally something out of the ordinary where I had no clue where my boundaries were, like I’ve had maybe at some other courts from around the world in the past. I’ve gotten used to it quite quickly. . .it’s a big place. I mean, the side stands are huge. It goes far away. It’s unusual to have it that way. I would have thought maybe they would put it in the corner, the stadium, instead of on the long side. Still it was a good atmosphere.”

Stanislas Wawrinka, Federer’s countryman, was not as fortunate. The three time major champion fell in the day’s initial match to Filip Krajinovic 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 spoiling the all Swiss third round collision. Wawrinka led in the tiebreaker 5-2 and lost the next five points.

Other notable upsets include 9th seed Marin Cilic who went down to qualifier Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4. Tenth seed Karen Khachanov was sent packing by Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-3. American qualifier Reilly Opelka stunned 21st seed Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. While 20th seed Denis Shapovalov squeezed by lucky loser Daniel Evans 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Also, moving onto third round are Kevin Anderson who toughed it out against Jaime Munar in three sets. Grigor Dimitrov had no trouble with Feliciano Lopez. The Bulgarina dismissed the Spaniard in 60 minutes, 6-1, 6-3. Eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, 13th seed Danil Medvedev, Leonardo Mayer, 18th seed David Goffin and Joao Sousa booked their bid into round three in straight sets.

There was no azure sky to welcome the Miami Open at its new venue as a constant drizzle washed out the first round of play. Nevertheless, two weeks of exhilarating tennis prepare to unfold as many familiar faces will parade through with the goal of capturing the title.

On the gentlemen’s side, three time champion Roger Federer is on a collision course in the quarterfinals with 2018 Wimbledon Finalist Kevin Anderson. The South African surprised the former world number one in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year after Federer was up two sets to none. Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 20 year Greek, who upended Federer a few months ago at the Australian Open could be Federer’s opponent in the semifinals.

Fresh off his biggest title at Indian Wells, Dominic Thiem will attempt to garner the rare sunshine double. However, he will likely need to go through reigning world number one Novak Djokovic, a six time titlist in Miami. Moreover, John Isner, the defending champion will have plenty to say. He is slated to clash with Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

Naomi Osaka will have to show the form that led her to capture the last two majors if she plans to walk away with her first trophy in Miami. The world number one could potentially meet Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon champion, in the fourth round or 2018 Australian Open winner, Caroline Wozniacki. In the quarterfinals, 2 time major holder, Angelique Kerber possibly awaits Osaka. To add to the degree of difficulty, the semifinals could be a rematch of this year’s Australian Open final with Petra Kvitová.

Still searching for her maiden trophy since the birth of her baby, Serena Williams is back at one of her favorite events. The eight time titlist will likely find world number two Simona Halep in the quarterfinals in her way. In the semifinals, defending champion Sloane Stephens or Karolina Pliskova could be Serena’s obstacle. Pliskova shocked the 23 time major holder this year in Australia down 1-5 in the third set in the quarterfinals. As a 3 time victor in Miami, unseeded big sister Venus is also a dangerous floater on Serena’s side of the draw as well.

As the storms clear, who will ultimately shine in the South Florida sun on championship day? Stay tuned.

The hype preceding the third round match between Roger Federer and Juan Del Potro was off the decibel meter as these two set to collide in the third round at the Miami Open. Federer conquered the Argentine 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round.

After two wrists surgeries over the last few years, Del Potro has slowly worked his way back to a ranking of 29. This was the 21st match between the two. Del Potro had beaten the former world number one in the U.S. Open final in 2009 as well as in the final at his home town tournament, Basel, in 2012. Although Federer has a 15-5 mark against the Argentine, Del Potro had won 3 of their ultimate 5 meetings.

The opening set was uneventful until the sixth game when a backhand down the line winner gave Federer double break point. Del Potro rebounded with a couple of great serves to level the set at 3 all. But, he could not escape a second time. Subsequent to a untroubled hold by the reigning Australian Open champion, Del Potro again was asked to overcome 15-40. This time around, when Federer’s forehand pass landed for a winner, he secured the break for 5-3.

Del Potro put up some stiff resistance the next game, getting to 15-40 with a beautiful forehand crosscourt winner. Federer replied with an unreturnable serve and forehand down the line winner for deuce. Two more chances to break for Del Potro went unclaimed. Eventually, two consecutive volley winners allowed Federer to take the set.

The second set was similar to the first with Federer manufacturing 15-40 in the fifth game. Because of a sleuth of miscues by Del Potro, Federer went on to collect the break and swiftly consolidated for 4-2. In the eighth game, Del Potro had an opportunity to break and get back on serve. But, the Argentine’s forehand, his best stroke, failed him. Federer served out the match and booked his place in the round of 16.

Does Del Potro feel a bit unlucky having to deal with the likes of Federer or Novak Djokovic so early in these tournaments? “It’s the luck that I have because of my rankings. Someone has to play them. Physically, I was okay.”

Still, Del Potro is encouraged by his performance today “I had my chances in both sets with break points. But Federer played solid in the important moments. You don’t have to play perfect tennis against Federer to win, but you have to capitalize on your chances. . you have to look at the positive side. At the start of 2016, my dream was just to get back on court, to compete again. I did not expect the success that I had at the Olympics and Davis Cup. I have not hit a two handed backhand for a long time until this tournament which is one of the things that I realize. Once I get back the backhand, it will be less physically taxing on my game.”

The statistics were spectacular for the 18 time major holder who hit 29 winners and committed only 19 unforced miscues. So the Swiss was pretty pleased with his outing. Was it really as uncomplicated as it appeared ? “It depends a little bit on your angle. I felt that I was in control and I was able to generate more chances than he did. . . Out of nowhere, I felt he got his chances, maybe because I dropped my level ever so slightly and gave him a few easy points. . .. I was more the aggressor. It was more on my racket. I like it that way”

The complexion of the match could have been altered if Del Potro had seized one of his opportunities especially in the initial set. Federer expounded “looking back, that was probably the key. I knew when he had the break point at 15-40, if I could dig my way out of that game, instead of being broken, hold and win the set, it’s a good escape. Juan Martin didn’t play his best because he did have his chances there on second serves and he could have done better, maybe played more aggressive, who knows what. But I hit some good shots to stay in there.”

The stadium was packed and the vibe was scorching like the South Florida sun. What did Federer think? “shortly before I walked out to the court you could sense the atmosphere. That’s when I told myself, just be prepared for something different. I think if the match would have gone three sets or tiebreakers or something even closer, would have been really epic. . . it was just really a great, nice atmosphere. A lot of pleasure playing him. Nice weather. Great opponent. Great crowd.”

Up to last season, Federer had a relatively injury free career. Because of his extended hiatus, his ranking suffered. Bumping into rivals prior to the quarters or semis will occur “If we’re all ranked outside of the top eight it’s going to happen more frequently naturally. That’s why Indian Wells maybe I’m to blame. I had a chance in Dubai to get into the top eight and I didn’t make it by losing in the second round. Then of course I got lucky or earned my way forward in Australia. If I would have lost early there I would’ve been outside of the top 30 and would have taken a while to get back into the top eight.”

With age come responsibility and wisdom. Consequently, foremost on Federer’s mind is “to be a bit more clever in terms of scheduling overall. Unfortunately, I can’t do it all. I can’t chase the Davis Cup and the slams and play all the Masters 1000s. At some point something has to give, unfortunately. I wish I could do it all like when I was 24 years old. . .I have to take some important decisions that work well for me as a tennis player, but then also for my family and my whole team. . .get the rest that I need, but then also play enough matches. If you don’t play enough normally you kind of lose touch of how to play break points, save break points, the shoulder gets rusty. Who knows what it is? You need the right balance. I think that’s more key than ever right now.”

At 35, is returning to number one a goal for Federer? “It’s not the priority. Health needs to be the priority. That’s why if I were to get there again I have to really win a lot of big tournaments, and I know how hard that is. I tried to do it for the last five years. So as long as I’m healthy, I feel like I can play good tennis, enjoy myself, I can beat – hopefully – some of the best players in the world, or most of them, and win tournaments as well. The rankings is very secondary.”

Most athletes come at a crossroad in their career because injury, it’s a factor in the sport. Federer states “two years ago. . . I was not 100%. At some point you just feel like in those kind of circumstances, Masters 1000s towards the end when you have to back it up day after day or play four-, five-setters every second day against the best, it’s not going to be enough at the very end. The margins are too small for anybody up there. . .very disappointing, when you realize that you’re ready to do it mentally. . .something physically is hindering you from really actually going all out. That’s how I felt. That’s why after playing like this for virtually four months, doing so much rehab and it feels like you’re having a cloud in your head all the time because you’re doing so much treatment. You hope you’re going to be better the next day. Rather than focusing on the nice weather, the nice crowd, and the good opponent you’re going to face, you’re actually hoping your knee is going to hold up. . . It’s okay to do that for a couple of weeks or for a few tournaments during the season. If you do it every single day for a month, that’s when you have to, in my opinion, take a break and rest and come back properly. That’s what I did, and I cannot believe the way it paid off actually.”

Upcoming fourth round opponent for Federer is Roberto Baustista Agut. The Spaniard dispatched Sam Querrey 3-6,6-2, 6-3. Although Federer won their five previous encounters, he knows the Spaniard is no push over “I respect Bautista Agut a lot. Was watching his match against Querrey and I really thought Querrey was playing great in the first set. I thought that at some point he was going steamroll, but that’s what Bautista Agut does so well. He competes so well point for point, day in day out, and he plays ton of tournaments, and he’s really just match tough. He may be hurt. He was taping his feet. . .I am sure he was in pain and he found a way it get it done in the end. . .I hope I can use my variation to really make him feel uncomfortable. Looking forward to backing it up tomorrow now. It’s not something I’m actually used to, playing back-to-back days. So I hope my body is going to be fine tomorrow.”

The customary sentiment when one is 19 years old and sees a living legend across the net as the opponent is panic. By the time, the realization has set that it is an actual competition, the score line usually reads something like 0-6 with the first set evaporating in less than half an hour. Frances Tiafoe may be young, but he demonstrated a maturity today that will serve him well in the future as he faced the 18 time majors champion, Roger Federer. Although the Swiss master penned another in the win column, he was tested by the teenager in his 7-6, 6-3 victory in the second round at the Miami Open.

Ranked 101, Tiafoe worked his way into the main draw by qualifying. Then, he prevailed in the first round to earn his date with the reigning Australian Open champion. In the opening game, the American gave a nice account of himself, not getting frazzled after a 40-love lead dwindled to 40-30. With a nice backhand down the line winner, Tiafoe kept the proceeding on serve at 2-1.

As the competitors waited in the tunnel for their names to be announced, Federer was jovial and relaxed, chatting with the kid tasked with carrying his bag on court. To the contrary, Tiafoe had his racket bag on his back, concentrating intently not to let nerves creep up, not glancing long at his opponent. As he once mentioned Federer is “too smooth to emulate. He makes it look too easy. He is everybody’s idol.”

Federer kept his cool in the eight and tenth games, serving consecutive love games to put the set on an even footing twice. Later, it was Tiafoe’s turn to get comfortably to 6-5. When the former world number one saw a breathtaking backhand winner whiz for 0-15, he did not blink. Ultimately, Federer pushed the set into a tiebreaker with an ace. From that point on, Federer’s experience shone. Subsequent to securing the first point and mini-break with a volley winner, Federer cruised to capture the set.

After surrendering the first set with a bevy of unforced errors, Tiafoe rebounded by seizing the first break chance in the match to start the second set. However, his joy was ephemeral as Federer created two chances of his own and shortly leveled the set. Another testy moment in the contest was the fourth game. With three miscues, Tiafoe dug himself a 0-40 hole. The youngster shoveled himself out to reach 2 all. Yet, soon his next time serving the American stared at 15-40, Federer applied the accelerator to grab the break. The Swiss promptly sealed a love game with an ace to consolidate and move ahead 5-2. Still, for Tiafoe, there was no let down as he held serve and forced Federer to earn the win. The world number six did so with an easy service game.

Following the match, Federer reflected “I’ve hit with Frances maybe twice before: Once at the French and once at the US Open. There he surprised me . . .I saw the power he had, the explosivity he had, how he easily can generate pace. So I think he’s going to be really good, like most of the NextGen campaign . . . they’re pushing each other up right now. They have a good dynamic. They are quite friendly also with one another yet they have good rivalry.” He also praised the youngster for not letting the moment overwhelm him “I think the question was always how was he going to come out. It’s the question for any player. Also for me. How can you start a match? [He] seemed to be fearless, no problem, good serving, taking the ball early, making the plays. And that I like to see”

Hard to phantom, but at 35, Federer still gets jittery at the start of an event “even though I was pretty relaxed before the match . . .Yesterday I got these flashes of, Ooh, it’s going to be exciting. Then you walk out on court and there is always a big roar here in Miami . . it’s nice to get it over and done with on the winning side. You feel quite relieved to some extent because you know it can be dangerous. I don’t know his patterns well, or at all. I was actually playing very well. He stayed with me for very long time. That can make you nervous if maybe I wouldn’t have been so confident.”

With possibly, 14,000 sets of eyes watching, this is the biggest stage that Tiafoe has been on up to now. When Federer deferred and asked him to serve, admittedly, it amped up his anxiety level. “At first, I think he was feeling my game, didn’t know what to expect I think”.

When asked what is the primary lesson to take from this encounter, Tiafoe cited that he is encouraged by the way he played and that the goal will be to work hard on his game so that the next time he encounters such a big name it won’t be as early in the tournament. What does he feel he could improve “my return game”. Since the American pinpointed at least one aspect of his game which requires improvement, that alone is progress.

As Federer emphasized “I hope he’s going to learn a lot from a match like this just because playing on a center court with a lot of people, under pressure, saving break points, making break points, playing breakers. That’s what it’s about, and it should feed a player like him with a lot of energy moving forward hopefully. . .we both played very well and both can maybe walk away from this match quite happy, which is not often in tennis that that’s maybe the case.”

Looking to the third round, Federer could collide with Juan Martin Del Potro “I would love to play against him. I’m happy for him with his comeback, winning at Davis Cup. . .I should have played him here last year but I was sick. It’s better to play him this time around when we’re both better. . . We’ve had some epic matches against each other: Semis at the French, Olympic semis, finals at the US Open.” But as the great one himself pointed out “I’m sure the crowd would love to see it. Robin Haase is going to have a say about that, as we know.”

First on Stadium Saturday at the Miami Open, Stanislas Wawrinka takes on Horacio Zeballos. The world number three holds a 2-0 record against Zeballos who had his best results at this event last year as a lucky loser. After Roger Federer pulled out due to illness, he shocked both Juan Martin Del Potro and Fernando Verdasco to advance to the round of 16 before being stopped by David Goffin. Consequently, with the Argentinian fans behind him and fond memories, Zeballos could present a challenge for the men’s top seed.

Later on in the afternoon, Wawrinka’s compatriot Federer begins his quest for the coveted Indian Wells, Miami Open double trophy, something he has not accomplished in over a decade. The 35 year old, 18 time major champion faces American rising star, 19 year old Frances Tiafoe. This will be their first meeting. The dynamic should be interesting dynamic considering the venue and the disparity in their resume.

A few day matches on the men’s column which are must see include, Sam Querrey versus Tommy Robredo and John Isner versus wildcard
Thomaz Bellucci.

On the women’s side, after her narrow escape in three sets on Friday, needing a rain delay and saving a match point against Christina McHale, Spain’s Garbine Murguruza returns for her third round match against China’s Shuia Zhang. The two met for the first time in Doha this year in the round of 16 with Zhang pulling off the upset. Thus, Murguruza will hungry for payback.

Another compelling day session match is Agnieszka Radwanska versus Mirjana Lucic- Baroni. The Croatian stunned 2012 Miami Open Champion in the second round this year at the Australian Open on route to her semifinal berth for the first time at a major since Wimbledon 1999. So, revenge will be on the agenda for the Pole without question.

Second seed Karolina Pliskova and fifth seed Dominika Cibulkova also are back on court for their third round matches as well as 2015 French Open finalist Lucie Safarova.

The honor of closing out the night on the men’s side belongs to Juan Martin Del Potro as he tussles with Robin Haase. With a 2-0 record over the Dutch and with the South American crowd likely to be in full force, Del Potro will likely book a projected date with Federer for the third round.

For the ladies, Sorona Cirstea battles Caroline Wozniacki to end the evening. It will be a riveting contest considering their close head to head of 4-3 with the former world number one having the edge.

Click here for Saturday’s complete order of play.

Friday the men will be the main attraction at the Miami Open as top ten players finally take court for second round play. The initial ATP match on display in Stadium Court showcases world number four Kei Nishikori against Kevin Anderson. The two played on three previous occasions all in 2015. Nishikori holds a 2-1 advantage in the win column. A former top 10 player, Anderson’s ranking has fallen to 74 due to niggling injury the last two seasons. However in looking to rebound, the 6 foot 8 inch South African will be quite a handful for Nishikori last year’s Miami Open finalist.

Later on in the afternoon, four time Miami Open finalist Rafael Nadal, with the absence of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, begins his hunt for his first title in South Florida. Standing in the way in his maiden match is Dudi Sela. They’ve battled once before at the Australian Open with The Spaniard prevailing comfortably in three sets.

In the evening session, Grigor Dimitrov collides with Guido Pella on Stadium court. Two years ago, they duked it out with Dimitrov edging the Argentine out in two tough sets 7-6,6-4. Ranked 13th in the world, Dimitrov should handle his opponent, now at 178, with ease. But factoring in that the Argentinian will have plenty of support from the pro South American crowd, things might get dicey for the Bulgarian.

American Jack Sock fresh off his semifinal run at Indian Wells faces off against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka who himself as a lucky loser in the desert, had the tournament of his young tennis life so far. Nishioka shocked Ivo Karlovic and Tomas Berdych to arrive at the round of 16. He nearly collected his biggest scalp against Miami Open top seed Stanislas Wawrinka before succumbing in a third set tiebreaker after failing to close out the match twice after being up a break. In their second meeting, Sock hopes to do better than their first in Acapulco this year since he was unable to collect the W.

On the ladies’ side, with sister Serena sideline by injury, Venus Williams carries the family’s hope for this Miami Open. The three time champion last made an appearance in the finals in 2010 with an unfavorable result. She clashes with Beatriz Haddad Maia for the first time in the second round. Also, World number one Angelique Kerber starts her campaign for the title, looking to improving on her best showing in South Florida which was a semifinal berth in 2016. The German contends with China’s Ying-Ying Duan, the two have never battled.

Click here for Friday’s complete order of play.

The 2015 Miami Open is set to take place from March 23 – April 5. Today, the tournament announced the field of players that will be taking to the courts at the Crandon Park Tennis Center.

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will both be returning to Miami to defend their titles from 2014. From the ATP, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro are also on the acceptance list. From the WTA, Maria Sharapova is still looking to claim her first Miami title. Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova are also on the roster. A complete rundown of the acceptance list is provided in the tournament’s press release below.

Miami Open Field Once Again Unrivaled on Tour Calendar

The hottest ticket in tennis returns to Miami featuring the best players in the world

MIAMI, Fl. (www.miamiopen.com) – The Miami Open may have a new name, but the Grand Slam-quality player field it delivers each spring remains the same. The event received its 2015 official acceptance lists from the ATP and WTA tours and, once again, the line-up is unrivaled among tour events.

With 74 of the top 75 ranked men, including all of the top 50, and each of the top 75 ranked women, the Miami Open player field ranks best on the tennis calendar. The 15 combined Grand Slam Champions, seven men and eight women, scheduled to compete at this year’s tournament are more than any other event on the tours outside of the Grand Slams. Whether you are looking to see a future Hall of Famer, a multiple Grand Slam champion, or a rising star, all will be on display at the Crandon Park Tennis Center during the event’s two weeks, March 23- April 5.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL LISTINGS

Tickets to the 2015 Miami Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or online at www.miamiopen.com. An exhilarating two weeks of tennis, fashion, food and fun conclude with the women’s final on Saturday, April 4 and the men’s final on Sunday, April 5.

Individual session tickets start at just $31 and packages begin at only $136. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of the most glamorous event on both tours.

The 2015 ATP acceptance list features World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, the defending Miami Open champion and reigning Australian Open champ; 17-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer; 14-time Grand Slam winner, Rafael Nadal; two-time Grand Slam and Olympic Gold Medalist, Andy Murray; and former US Open champion, Juan Martin del Potro.

The women’s field for 2015 is fierce, featuring 19-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who is the defending Miami Open winner and became the winningest player, male or female, in tournament history when she captured her seventh Miami Open title last year. Seven-time Grand Slam Champion Venus Williams, five-time Grand Slam champion and reigning French Open champion Maria Sharapova, two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka and defending Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova are also entered to compete.

Fans will also see last year’s break out stars Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion, and Marin Cilic, the surprise winner at the US Open as they make a run for the Miami Open title. On the women’s side rising stars Eugenie Bouchard, a 2014 Wimbledon finalist, and American Madison Keys, who made her first semi-finals appearance at a Grand Slam at this year’s Australian Open, will also be in action.

The Miami Open is more than just a tennis event. Located in one of the world’s most beautiful vacation destinations with a diverse fan base and exquisite dining and luxury shopping offerings, the Miami Open has an energy and excitement that is uniquely Miami.

Qualifying rounds will be played March 23-24 and will determine 12 additional slots in each singles draw. The Miami Open will also award wildcards to five men and eight women. The main draw begins on Tuesday, March 24 as the women take the court, followed by the first round of the men’s main draw on Wednesday, March 25.

About the Miami Open presented by Itaú

The 2015 Miami Open will be played March 23-April 5 at the Crandon Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.

About Itaú

Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 95,000 employees and operations in 20 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 25 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events & Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; strategic partnerships with sponsors and brands; and marquee assets across sports, entertainment, events, music and fashion.