[GROUP POLL]15[/GROUP POLL] • SPOTLIGHT ON MIAMI: The 33rd edition of the Miami Open presented by Itau gets underway on Wednesday. The second of nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of the season takes place at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park. The 96-player draw features seven of the Top 10 and 16 of the Top 20 players in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Two-time (2005-06) champion Roger Federer, who captured his 90th career title in Indian Wells, is the lone former winner in the field. • DAY 1 PREVIEW: There are 16 singles matches in the bottom half of the draw on Wednesday’s schedule. Four of the 11 #NextGenATP players in the tournament are in action with teenage wild card Michael...
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,...
Rafael Nadal would love to add a first Miami Open presented by Itau trophy to his 69 ATP World Tour titles and continue his strong start to 2017. The World No. 7, who plays either Dudi Sela or a qualifier in the second round, is the fifth seed in Miami. Despite the absence of World No. 1 Andy Murray and World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, Nadal said that the path to the title would still be a tough one. “As everybody knows, the year is long and there are plenty of tournaments,” said Nadal. “Djokovic and Murray might not be here, but there are a lot of great players.” Nadal is making his 13th appearance in Miami, where he is...
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...
