To Kei Nishikori, everything is just about perfect at the Miami Open presented by Itau, the season's second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday. The tournament's location, the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, is only a four-hour drive from where Nishikori lives and trains year-round, in Bradenton, Florida. The south Florida conditions – quick and fast – suit the aggressive Japanese player. The only thing missing from making the Miami event perhaps Nishikori's absolute perfect tournament has been the lack of a title. The 27 year old is searching for his first Miami crown, which he'll try to land during the next two weeks. “I feel very relaxed here, very open... I...
With age comes perspective and at 35, on the comeback from his longest stint on the sidelines, Roger Federer is playing with a renewed sense of freedom. A stunning run to the Australian Open title and then the BNP Paribas Open crown at the weekend are testament to him chanelling this ‘underdog’ confidence as he prepares a tilt at his first Miami Open title in 11 years. The Swiss, who started the season at No. 17 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, has soared back to No. 6. A decade ago he was the reigning two-time Miami Open champion. “At 25 I was winning 90 per cent of my matches and eventually you’re on this train where you keep rolling and...
Jack Sock is brimming with confidence and hopes to lead the American charge at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The World No. 17 in the Emirates ATP Rankings impressed with a run to the semi-finals last week at the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the season, the BNP Paribas Open, falling to eventual champion Roger Federer. “I definitely played some good tennis in California, I’m going to build off the confidence I gained there,” said the 24 year old. “It’s been a good start to the year for me, so I need to keep on the same path I’m on, keep on doing the same things, and hopefully I’ll produce another good result here.” The 13th...
ATP World Tour Uncovered presented by Peugeot talks to Brazilian Thiago Monteiro about his breakout year in 2016 and his goals for the current campaign.
The stretch remains one of the most intense on the ATP World Tour: Four weeks. Two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. Drastically different conditions. At the first Masters 1000, the BNP Paribas Open, the dry heat of the desert that can befuddle even the best players. At the other, the Miami Open presented by Itau, the wretched humidity needs only minutes to turn your light T-shirt into a soaked towel. But battle through the conditions, the tough draws and the world-class opponents, and you can walk away with one of the most impressive achievements of the season: Back-to-back Masters 1000 titles on hard courts. Only seven players since 1991 have swept the March Masters and won back-to-back Indian Wells...