Roger Federer’s Ex-Coach Shares Three-Word Solution to Miami Open Weather Chaos

The Miami Open schedule has been hit heavily due to rain.

Roger Federer’s Ex-Coach Shares Three-Word Solution to Miami Open Weather Chaos

Roger Federer (Image via X/ESPN)

In Short
  • Miami Open faced significant disruptions due to heavy rain, canceling an entire day's matches.
  • Ivan Ljubicic proposed a solution to build a roof over the venue to prevent future weather-related issues.
  • The tournament is now scrambling to reschedule 48 matches across 10 courts, impacting player recovery and fan experience.

If there is one opponent on the ATP and WTA tours that boasts an absolute, undisputed undefeated record, it is Mother Nature. She made her presence felt in a massive way this week, turning the usually sun-drenched Miami Open into a soggy, frustrating waiting game for players, fans, and tournament officials alike.

When one buys a ticket to the Sunshine Double, one expects blistering forehands and even more blistering heat. Instead, on March 18, the Miami Open faced a massive scheduling headache when relentless, punishing rain forced organizers to pull the plug on the entire day’s slate of matches. Two days later, with the situation still the same, Ivan Ljubicic had had enough and offered a solution. He quipped on X:

Build the roof.

A staggering 37 matches were wiped off the board on March 18. Now, the tournament is scrambling to cram 48 matches across 10 courts just to get the brackets back on track. On the 20th, Amanda Anisimova and Ajla Tomljanović saw their match interrupted while the American had a match point.

Tennis is a game of rhythm, routine, and precise physical peaks. For elite competitors like second-ranked Iga Swiatek, this rain delay has already contributed to their first-round exit.

Hard Rock Stadium turns into a waiting game for fans

When a tournament loses an entire day of play, the schedule compresses. That means the luxury of a rest day completely evaporates. Players who advance will now face the grueling reality of playing matches on consecutive days in the notorious South Florida humidity.

Miami Open canceled Wednesday's matches due to rain
Miami Open canceled Wednesday’s matches due to rain (Image via X/Nichole k.Cardwell)

For the lower-ranked players and rising stars like Mirra Andreeva and Joao Fonseca, this condensed schedule can be absolutely brutal. They don’t always get the prime scheduling slots, meaning their recovery windows will be drastically slashed.

Organizers did their best, officially calling the day and firing off emails to ticket holders, but the damage to the fan experience was already done. The immediate impact is that fans who bought tickets for specific days might miss out on seeing their favorite players, as the newly bloated 48-match schedule forces marquee matchups onto outer courts just to beat the clock.

Can the Miami Open get back on track?

The plan for March 20 is ambitious: open 10 courts, turn on the lights, and play a ridiculous amount of tennis. If the South Florida weather finally decides to cooperate, the tournament can find its rhythm again. The courts will dry, the balls will bounce true, and the storylines will shift back to the baseline where they belong.

Joao Fonseca, Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Joao Fonseca, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz Brasil)

However, if the forecast calls for more moisture, the Miami Open will be forced to make some incredibly tough decisions about the format and timeline. Weather is always the ultimate wildcard in outdoor sports, but this year, it has become the defining storyline of the tournament.

The highlight of the day will be the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Joao Fonseca. The duo will be playing on tour for the first time ever.

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