Henri Kontinen and John Peers head into this week’s Miami Open presented by Itaú in uncharted territory. They are the top seeds at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament for the first time and, for Kontinen, an added incentive looms. The 26 year old stands to become the first World No. 1 from Finland in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings should he and Peers push deep and other results fall their way. The Australian Open champions stand to make up big ground having fallen in the opening round last year (l. to Cilic/Draganja). Kontinen will ascend to the individual doubles top spot unless he and Peers and defending champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut fail to reach the semi-finals,...
The man with the nickname “Stanimal” faced a new question during Tuesday’s media day at the Miami Open presented by Itau: What animal would he be, given the choice? “Depends on the day,” said Stan Wawrinka, after a pause. “I quite like a black panther.” A panther may befit his status this week in Miami, where he is the top seed for the first time at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament. Additionally, the World No. 3 is riding the confidence of a runner-up finish to countryman Roger Federer in Sunday’s BNP Paribas Open final. “I’m really happy with the results. I was sad after the loss, but he was playing too good and it was a good final,” said...
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...
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...
