Kei Nishikori also receives main-draw wild card.
By Aiberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, February 29, 2024
The Miami Open has injected major champions into the main draw.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki and former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori have all received wild cards into next month’s Miami Open.
The Miami Open is set for March 17-31st at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Spanning three decades, Williams, age 43, Wozniacki, age 33 and Raducanu age 21, are at very different stages of their careers yet are amongst the most popular players on the WTA, with achievements to match.
A three-time champion in Miami, Venus Williams boasts a remarkable seven Grand Slam singles titles over her illustrious career and has played in a record-breaking 93 Grand Slam tournaments.
Australian Open Champion Wozniacki, a finalist in Miami in 2017, returns for the first time since 2019, having had a three-year break following the birth of her two children. After returning to competition last August, she immediately impressed, reaching the fourth round at the 2023 US Open.
Raducanu, whose fairy-tale run at the 2021 US Open saw her become the first champion in the open era to come through qualifying and claim victory without losing a single set, is eagerly anticipated to make her return after missing much of the 2023 season due to injury. Her promising start to the current season follows an eight-month break.
Also making a welcome return from injury is the Japanese star, Nishikori, making his first competitive start since July 2023. Ranked as high as four in the world in 2015, Nishikori has won 12 ATP titles and was runner-up at the 2014 US Open making him the first male player representing an Asian country to reach a major single final. Nishikori also won the bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, delivering Japan’s first Olympic tennis medal in 96 years.
Known for its world-class fan experience, the Miami Open presented by Itaú, will again welcome tennis fans to Hard Rock Stadium, complete with the only tennis stadium court in an NFL venue, and its sprawling campus in Miami Gardens.
The year’s edition of the Miami Open presented by Itaú will also feature more on-court action for fans than ever before. Taking place in the second week, the Miami Open Wheelchair Invitational and Major League Pickleball Showcase are also new additions to the program, marking the first time both events will take place at any 1000 series tournament.
The remainder of the wild cards for the singles, doubles and qualifying draws will be announced within the coming weeks.
For a full list of tournament sponsors and for ticket information, please visit www.miamiopen.com.
Photo credits: Clive Brunskill/Getty
