The schedule is confirmed for Friday March 21 with many of the top names starting their campaigns at the 2025 Miami Open including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. Our preview helps to run through the top talking points from Florida.
Thus far it has been shocks on both scales especially in the WTA department. Coco Gauff pummelled Sofia Kenin yesterday and Elena Rybakina was dumped out by Ashlyn Krueger confirming her woes.
But in addition Danielle Collins also into the night won her first game of the tournament to open her title defence but what does Friday have in store. It is time to find out with stories left right and centre.
Swiatek faces Garcia...again
It is again a meeting between Iga Swiatek and Caroline Garcia which starts proceedings off in Florida. It is the second consecutive tournament that they have played and no doubt Garcia will be sick of the sight of the former World No.1.
Especially given a few factors, markably her 6-1 Head to Head record and also the fact that she won 6-2, 6-0 last week at Indian Wells. Can the faster playing courts provide any difference in the scoreline and cause issues for Swiatek.
Garcia has only won once against Swiatek and it seems like she has been taking it out on her ever since. This being the 2022 Warsaw Quarter-Final back towards when Garcia was at the peak of her powers. She has flirted since with the idea of retirement as of late after not being able to get back to that level.
But is aiming for enjoyment first. Getting a few games off Swiatek she will hope can help that. Albeit despite the deficit, it is only really last week where it has not been at all close between the pair. It usually goes to three sets and Garcia can cause Swiatek problems but will it be a poor end to the Sunshine Double for Swiatek?
Match Info:
Caroline Garcia - Iga Swiatek
Start time (local):
Fri, 21 Mar, 12:00 PM
Start time (your time):
Sat, 22 Mar, 12:00 AM
Court:
Stadium
Tournament:
Miami Open presented by Itaú
Round:
Round of 64
Head-to-Head
|
Garcia |
Swiatek |
Total Wins |
1 |
6 |
Win Streak |
0 |
5 |
Official Ranking |
74 |
2 |
Race Ranking |
100 |
4 |
Live Ranking |
98 (-24) |
2 |
Live Race Ranking |
95 (+5) |
4 |
Age |
31 (16 Oct 1993) |
23 (31 May 2001) |
Birthplace |
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France |
Warsaw, Poland |
Residence |
Lyon, France |
Raszyn, Poland |
Height |
5'9" (177cm) |
5'9" (176cm) |
Weight |
134lbs (61kg) |
143lbs (65kg) |
Plays |
Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Turned Pro |
2011 |
2016 |
Coach |
Louis-Paul Garcia (–2021), Gabriel Urpí (2021), Juan Pablo Guzmán (–Apr 2023), Bertrand Perret (2021–Oct 2022, Apr 2023–) |
Wim Fissette (October 2024 – present) |
YTD W/L |
3-5 (38%) |
17-5 (77%) |
YTD Titles |
- |
- |
Career Titles |
11 |
22 |
Prize Money |
US$18,461,391 - 29th in all-time rankings |
US $34,842,891 - 8th in all-time rankings |
I Swiatek d C Garcia
WTA Indian Wells - Round of 64
|
I Swiatek d C Garcia
United Cup - Semifinal
4-6 | 6-1 | 6-1
6 Jan 2024
|
I Swiatek d C Garcia
WTA Beijing - Quarterfinal
6-7 | 7-6 | 6-1
6 Oct 2023
|
I Swiatek d C Garcia
World Tennis League -
|
I Swiatek d C Garcia
WTA Finals -
|
C Garcia d I Swiatek
WTA Warsaw - Quarterfinal
6-1 | 1-6 | 6-4
29 Jul 2022
|
I Swiatek d C Garcia
WTA Cincinnati - Round of 64
|
Djokovic, Keys and Andreeva also in action
Following Swiatek is a certain Daniil Medvedev who had a success of Indian Wells when doubts were creeping in about his form and future. He now faces Jaume Munar in his second round game before Rinky Hijikata faces Novak Djokovic.
Hijikata lost recently to Djokovic being defeated in the first tournament of the new season by the 24-time Grand Slam champion. He lost 6-3, 6-3 on New Year's Eve quite comfortably. But with Djokovic's recent form not being the best and not playing Miami in recent years, how can the six-time champion dispel doubts.
Madison Keys then follows up. Her week last week was a weird one as she played well and then got thrashed by Aryna Sabalenka which kind of dampened her post Australian Open momentum. The American hadn't played since that golden week so will aim to gain the freshness that others don't have ahead of a packed clay court season.
Mirra Andreeva returns after winning two WTA 1000 titles on the spin.
Speaking of Indian Wells on the opposite end, Mirra Andreeva also returns aiming to make it three WTA 1000 wins in a row. She won in Dubai and in Tennis Paradise and is the new name on the lips of tennis fans worldwide. But how can she cope with the highest ranking of her career and also the expectation.
She seems to be coping pretty well so far but an early loss might temper that. She faces Veronika Kudermetova who was a top 10 player on her day but is now more of a faded light. Still with the tools though so will be dangerous.
Navarro-Raducanu and Pegula among other headlines
Emma Raducanu will face a tough examination no doubt in her first second round for a while pencilled in around prime time in the UK of 4:10pm. The Brit has been switching coaches and going through that merry go round again but now faces a top 10 player in Emma Navarro.
Navarro who feels at home in the conditions of Miami and will head also with the Charleston Open in her sights, her home tournament so it is an important few weeks for her personally. But being on home soil, she will hope to bring in the form that saw her win Merida Open Akron just weeks ago.
While Raducanu will hope to break through once more amid the coaching noise surrounding her and banish the demons that are there from the recent Dubai stalking ordeal.
She is prior to Jessica Pegula on Grandstand who takes on Bernarda Pera with Mirra Andreeva following in a stacked WTA run. Casper Ruud flanks this line-up starting off against Miomir Kecmanovic.
Alcaraz in Night Session
Night session wise in the US, it is Carlos Alcaraz on Stadium. He opens his account against David Goffin having lost crushingly at times to Jack Draper last week, the new kid on the ATP block. He faces a veteran in David Goffin who he holds a 2-1 record against Head to Head wise. Albeit he hasn't played him since the Hopman Cup two years ago so in reality, it isn't a fair reflection.
He will be expected to win though. Tommy Paul also catches the Night Session eye against Alexander Bublik. Grigor Dimitrov opens up against 17-year-old Italian prodigy Federico Cina. While Nick Kyrgios aims for a good wrist day when he faces Karen Khachanov.
Nick Kyrgios returns again with stacked games all over Miami on Friday.
Other highlights include Stefanos Tsitsipas, a quality tie between Karolina Muchova and Victoria Azarenka, Amanda Anisimova returning to Miami as well as an all mothers clash between Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic.
Watch out too for 18-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko who faces Paula Badosa with the latter not playing last week and the former being on a 28-1 run with five ITF tour titles. She saw off Camila Osorio in Round One so has the impetus.
Also on shock watch will be Moyuka Uchijima facing Anna Kalinskaya who has plummeted towards going out of the seeded spots and needs a spark fast withdrawing from tournaments with illness and not being able to find her 2024 excellence yet.
2025 Miami Open presented by Itaú (21-03)
Stadium
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
12:00PM Local |
Caroline Garcia
|
Iga Swiatek
2
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
1:10PM Local |
Daniil Medvedev
7
|
Jaume Munar
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
2:20PM Local |
Rinky Hijikata
|
Novak Djokovic
4
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
7:00PM Local |
Madison Keys
5
|
Elina Avanesyan
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
8:30PM Local |
David Goffin
|
Carlos Alcaraz
2
|
Grandstand
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
11:00AM Local |
Casper Ruud
5
|
Miomir Kecmanovic
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
12:10PM Local |
Emma Navarro
8
|
Emma Raducanu
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
2:00PM Local |
Bernarda Pera
|
Jessica Pegula
4
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
3:10PM Local |
Veronika Kudermetova
|
Mirra Andreeva
11
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
7:00PM Local |
Alexander Bublik
|
Tommy Paul
12
|
Butch Buchholz
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
11:00AM Local |
Grigor Dimitrov
14
|
Federico Cina
WC
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
12:10PM Local |
Nick Kyrgios
|
Karen Khachanov
22
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
1:20PM Local |
Chun Hsin Tseng
Q
|
Stefanos Tsitsipas
9
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
2:30PM Local |
Karolina Muchova
15
|
Victoria Azarenka
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
3:40PM Local |
Amanda Anisimova
17
|
Mayar Sherif
|
Court 1
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
11:00AM Local |
Tristan Schoolkate
Q
|
Felix Auger-Aliassime
18
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
12:10PM Local |
Victoria Mboko
WC
|
Paula Badosa
10
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
1:20PM Local |
McCartney Kessler
|
Linda Noskova
30
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
2:30PM Local |
Belinda Bencic
|
Elina Svitolina
22
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
3:40PM Local |
Sebastian Korda
24
|
Eliot Spizzirri
WC
|
Court 2
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
11:00AM Local |
Anna Kalinskaya
32
|
Moyuka Uchijima
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
12:10PM Local |
Alexandra Eala
WC
|
Jelena Ostapenko
25
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
1:20PM Local |
Clara Tauson
20
|
Julia Grabher
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
2:30PM Local |
Kimberly Birrell
|
Marta Kostyuk
23
|
Round of 32 (Women's Doubles) |
3:40PM Local |
Dolehide
/
Sanders
|
Haddad Maia
/
Siegemund
|
Court 3
Round of 32 (Women's Doubles) |
11:00AM Local |
Siniakova
/
Townsend
1
|
Panova
/
Stollar
|
Round of 32 (Men's Doubles) |
12:10PM Local |
Hurkacz
/
Putz
|
Doumbia
/
Reboul
|
Round of 32 (Men's Doubles) |
1:20PM Local |
Harrison
/
King
|
Sakamoto
/
Wong
WC
|
Round of 32 (Women's Doubles) |
2:30PM Local |
Alexandrova
/
Stearns
ALT
|
Ostapenko
/
Perez
4
|
Round of 32 (Women's Doubles) |
3:40PM Local |
Aoyama
/
Hozumi
|
Collins
/
Krawczyk
|
Court 5
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
11:00AM Local |
Lorenzo Musetti
15
|
Quentin Halys
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
12:10PM Local |
Alex Michelsen
32
|
Camilo Ugo Carabelli
LL
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
1:20PM Local |
Corentin Moutet
|
Alejandro Tabilo
30
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
2:30PM Local |
Francisco Cerundolo
23
|
Alexandre Muller
|
Round of 32 (Men's Doubles) |
3:40PM Local |
McDonald
/
Tien
WC
|
Mektic
/
Venus
5
|
Court 7
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
11:00AM Local |
Diana Shnaider
13
|
Anna Blinkova
|
Round of 64 (Women's Singles) |
12:10PM Local |
Elise Mertens
27
|
Peyton Stearns
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
1:20PM Local |
Gael Monfils
|
Jiri Lehecka
26
|
Round of 32 (Men's Doubles) |
2:30PM Local |
Martinez
/
Mpetshi Perricard
|
Goransson
/
Verbeek
|
Round of 64 (Men's Singles) |
3:40PM Local |
Brandon Nakashima
31
|
Roberto Carballes Baena
|