Photo Source: Tony Chang Photography
With Indian Wells in the rearview mirror, we turn our thoughts to the Miami Open. The draws have been released and women’s singles action (top half) commenced on Tuesday.
In case you forgot, Danielle Collins and Jannik won the singles titles at Miami last year. It’s up for grabs on the men’s side, with Sinner serving a doping ban until May.
Without further ado, here are five things we learned from the Miami draws:
1. Fonseca vs Tien
All eyes will once again be on Brazil’s Joao Fonseca after the 18-year-old talent took the Arizona Tennis Classic challenger title over the weekend. In his Miami debut will face 19-year-old American Learner Tien in a highly touted teen battle, with the winner facing Ugo Humbert in the second round.
2. Andreeva and Draper Dreaming Double
Fresh off their maiden Indian Wells titles, Mirra Andreeva and Jack Draper will play their first matches as Top-10 players at Miami.
Andreeva will face either Veronika Kudermetova or Wang Xinyu in the second round. Seeded 11th, Andreeva is in the quarter with Emma Navarro as the highest seed. Andreeva, who became the youngest Indian Wells champion in 26 years on Sunday, could face American Amanda Anisimova in the third round in the lower half of the draw that is anchored by Iga Swiatek. 3. Novak and Carlitos Seek Redemption
Six-time Miami champion Novak Djokovic will bid to snap a three-match losing streak with a second-round match against either Rinky Hijikata or Hamad Medjedovic. The Grand Slam king has hit a rough patch after being forced to retire in the semifinal at the Australian Open due to a hamstring injury.
A few wins could be exactly what he needs before he heads back to Europe for the clay season.
Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, seeks his second Miami Open title. Currently 15-3 for the year, the 21-year-old Spaniard takes on David Goffin or Aleksandar Vukic in his second-round match after a bye.
Still seeking his 100th ATP title, fourth-seeded Djokovic is in the lower half along with No.2-seeded Alcaraz. Playing Miami for the first time since 2019, Djokovic could face Alex Michelsen in the third round. If the seeds hold he’d get Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals. 4. Sabalenka’s revenge tour
Aryna Sabalenka hates to lose. That’s why she’ll likely be hungry to get back on the horse at Miami, where she faces Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova in the first round. The Belarusian could face Donna Vekic or Danielle Collins in the round of 16, and Elena Rybakina or Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals. What she really wants, as we all know, is another shot at teen queen Andreeva in the final.
5. Draper-Rune Potential Fourth Round Match
Draper, now ranked No.7, could see a rematch of his Indian Wells final against Holger Rune in the quarterfinals at Miami. Draper will face either Jakub Mensik or Roberto Bautista Agut in his second round match, after a bye.