Fans Call Miami Open ‘Worst Tournament of the Year’ Amid Chaos Due to Rain

Following the conclusion of the Indian Wells, the tennis world has shifted its focus to the second event of the Sunshine Doubles, the Miami Open, the main draw matches of which kicked off on March 17 at the Hard Rock Stadium and will be concluded on March 29.

But due to rain, the Miami Open canceled all matches on Wednesday (March 18). The first day of the men’s main draw matches was scheduled to be held on that day.

The players who were set to compete were Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov, and Matteo Berrettini, among others. Thursday’s matches will be held from 10:00 am local time onward and will see women’s World No.3 Iga Swiatek play countrywoman Magda Linette, Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca will clash with Fabian Marozsan.

The event had to deal with chaos even during the qualifying rounds, as Sunday’s first matches were canceled and rescheduled for Monday due to rain.

Tennis fans slam the Miami Open after the cancellation of matches

Miami Open’s X handle kept posting updates about the matches. When they canceled the session 3 (day) matches on Wednesday, it irked the fans.

Check out their reactions here:

Update as of 6:15pm. pic.twitter.com/jNpead5Gtr

— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 18, 2026

Canceling the day would be better because right now it makes no sense.

— leo (@leofgod12) March 18, 2026

This is hilarious! A sport that is watched and loved by people from all over the world, and @MiamiOpen gives an update of cancellation at this hour!smh

— Key86 (@Statsplusfacts) March 18, 2026

Shocking tournament so far .A terrible pa system that drains out other courts. Serious who wants to hear 3 4 women giggling over a tannoy on a match point from another court.Sound terrible as well on tv

— Garyg (@Garyg1862) March 18, 2026

When are you going to cancel today? It’s not fair on either players or spectators. Let them all go home and rest.

— Liz Curran (@lizcurran) March 18, 2026

Worst torunament of the year so far disgusted

— Cristhian (@bongripsss) March 18, 2026

All year any/every year

— Demo (@YsoSerious9999) March 18, 2026

What a joke

— Depressed Bulls Fan (@tb_sports_fan) March 18, 2026

What. a . Tournament !

— Roger Sterling (@ste_r_ling_f0x) March 18, 2026

A big name that’s missing from the main draw is Novak Djokovic, who, with six titles, is tied with Andre Agassi. Because he finished as the runner-up last year, 650 points will be deducted from his rankings, and he could see himself drop out of the top 4. If he doesn’t improve his ranking before the French Open, he may have to face Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz before the semifinals in the Majors.

Jakub Mensik will enter the event as the defending champion. Sinner and Alcaraz have one Miami Open title to their name. After his final defeat to Hubert Hurkacz in 2021 and to Daniil Medvedev in 2023, Sinner finally tasted success by beating Dimitrov in 2024.

Last year, he was forced to skip both the first two Masters 1000 of the season because of his three-month doping ban. This time, he will be bidding to complete the Sunshine Doubles as he defeated Medvedev to win his first Indian Wells title prior to arriving in Miami.

Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud in the final in 2022, in what was also his second appearance in the tournament. Before Miami, the seven-time Grand Slam champion competed at the Indian Wells Masters, where Medvedev ended his 16-match winning streak that started at the Australian Open and continued at the Qatar Open. He defeated Nole in the Melbourne Slam final and later breezed past Arthur Fils in the Doha ATP 500 event.

Like Alcaraz, Medvedev will also be chasing his third title of the season in Miami. He lifted the Brisbane International by defeating Brandon Nakashima and later received a walkover from Tallon Griekspoor in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Aryna Sabalenka will be bidding to complete the Sunshine Doubles

On the women’s side, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka will be aiming to defend her title as well as complete the Sunshine Doubles. The Belarusian ace beat Jessica Pegula in last year’s Miami final.

At the Indian Wells this year, she came from a set down to defeat Elena Rybakina to win her first title in the California desert. Sabalenka will also be chasing his third trophy of the year. Before her Indian Wells triumph, she defended her Brisbane International crown by beating Marta Kostyuk and later lost the Australian Open final to Rybakina.

Rybakina, the winner of the 2023 Indian Wells, is a two-time finalist in Miami. She lost to Petra Kvitova in 2023 and to Danielle Collins the following season.

World No.3 Swiatek emerged victorious in Miami in 2022 by beating four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. That year, she became the fourth woman to complete the Sunshine Doubles in singles. Last year, she lost in the quarterfinals. Coco Gauff is yet to reach the last eight in her home event.

Also read: Emma Raducanu’s Coach Dives into the Hype Around Joao Fonseca