Three former Miami Open champions hoping for another

By Harvey Fialkov / Staff writer

MIAMI GARDENS – When players enter a tournament that they won the previous year, outside influences often place pressure on them to defend their title.

Just ask Daniil Medvedev, the ninth seed in this tournament, who had won 22 different titles – including Miami in 2023 – before winning Dubai for the second time last month. Of course, he didn’t do it over consecutive years.

Or Jakub Mensik, one of three Miami Open champions in the men’s draw, who is defending one of his two ATP titles this week, having won Miami last year and Auckland in January.

“It’s my first time. It feels a little bit different than normal tournaments,’’ said Mensik, 20. “I’m trying to focus on myself even with all the expectations. Actually, the pressure from the outside is bigger, as you would say they’re putting a target on my back. I’m focusing on my game.

“Even the thought I won last year. This year is a new year, a new tournament, another week I’m trying to improve.”

The 6-foot-5 Czechian seemed tight out on a packed Butch Buchholz court, committing 23 unforced errors with just seven winners in the first set before settling down to defeat Aussie qualifier Adam Walton (who last year used his Lucky Loser status to reach the fourth round) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

“[After Indian Wells] I’ve been struggling with an illness,’’ said Mensik, who finished with 33 winners and 16 aces. “I’ve been missing a little bit with [less] time on court and match rhythm in the beginning of today’s match. I’m really happy after the first set … I found myself and came back to be the better player in the beginning of the second and third sets.”

Medvedev, 30, has had a resurgent year thus far, returning to the Top 10 after winning two titles and playing for the Indian Wells title against No. 2 Jannik Sinner a week ago. The 6-foot-6 Russian was nearly knocked out in his opening-rounder by 19-year-old wild-card entrant, Japan’s Rei Sakamoto, who converted his seventh set-point to win the first set 7-6 before the tireless Medvedev wore the teenager down to win 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-1.

“I lost my rhythm and doing some errors I shouldn’t do so I lost the first set,’’ said Medvedev, who was bothered by the change of speed of the courts coming from the unusually slower surfaces in Indian Wells. “I was super-happy I managed to build up momentum and build up tiredness in him because he’s still a junior in a way. It’s not easy for him. He’s going to learn from this.

“He serves well and he was handling my shots very good from the baseline. He’s a very complete player with big potential but you never know what happens.”

Sakamoto, who notched his first ATP win Friday over Aleksandar Kovacevic, said he became mentally exhausted midway through the match against his first Top 10 opponent.

“I tried to target his forehand and it worked,’’ said Sakamoto, who trains in Bradenton at IMG Academy. “He made some mistakes at key moments, which helped me. But from the middle on he clearly stopped missing. He was getting every return back. That made me rush and my first-serve percentage started to drop. At that point, I was tired, more with mental fatigue than physically.”

Sinner hasn’t had much difficulty with defending titles, pulling it off on his first of 25 titles in Sofia in 2020 and ’21, and then again in 2024 and ’25 at the Nitto ATP Finals. The 2026 Indian Wells champion also had an easy day at the office in his opening Miami match on Stadium Court with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over 34-year-old veteran Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Most importantly for me to be here, it was a tournament I missed [last year],’’ said Sinner, the 2024 Miami Open champion. “Last week was a great week for me. Now we already have a new one. I’m quite focused on here and try to do my best. Let’s see how it goes. Miami is a special place.”

Spanish teen into third round

When you practice and receive advice from Spanish greats Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, some talent has to rub off and it certainly has onto 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar, who needed just 56 minutes to take out Aleksandar Vukic, 6-1, 6-2.

It’s his first Masters 1000 third round and his 109 ranking will certainly move him into the Top 100, all the way from over 900 before the 2025 Miami Open.

“I’m very happy with my level,’’ said Jodar, who made the difficult decision to leave the University of Virginia after one year to try the ATP circuit full-time. “I played very well from the first point of the match.”

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About the Miami Open presented by Itaú

The 2026 Miami Open presented by Itaú will be played March 15 – March 29 at Hard Rock Stadium. The 15-day event is owned and operated by MARI and Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a WTA 1000 event on the WTA calendar, and annually hosts the world’s best players, with recent champions including the top players in each tour’s rankings – Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. In 2025, the tournament attracted more than 400,000 spectators over its 15 days at Hard Rock Stadium. Widely regarded as the most glamorous stop on the ATP and WTA calendars, the Miami Open is defined by the city’s vibrant culture, nightlife, five-star dining and hospitality, iconic beaches, and celebrity appeal, along with its close proximity to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

About Itaú Unibanco

The largest bank in Latin America, Itaú Unibanco operates in 18 countries and serves more than 70 million customers, including individuals and companies across a wide range of segments. With the purpose of strengthening financial well-being, the bank supports customers at different stages of life by offering solutions tailored to their needs, as well as innovation and information that encourage more conscious decision-making and a healthier relationship with money.

In sports, Itaú has maintained a consistent presence in tennis for 50 years, supporting the development of the sport in Brazil and worldwide across multiple fronts — from talent development to the sponsorship of major international events — as part of its strategy to strengthen customer relationships, build brand relevance, and broaden access to sport.

About MARI 

MARI is a global events and experiences company with a portfolio of some of the world’s most influential live properties across sport, art, lifestyle, and entertainment. From international tennis tournaments such as the Mutua Madrid Open and the Miami Open presented by Itaú to Frieze, a leading voice in contemporary art, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, TodayTix Group’s leadership in digital ticketing, and Barrett-Jackson’s leading collector car auctions, MARI’s portfolio reflects a shared ambition: to deliver live experiences that bring people together, inspire audiences and shape culture worldwide.

About Hard Rock Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium is a global entertainment destination and curator of world-class events. The best-in-class venue is home to the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami Hurricanes football team, the Capital One Orange Bowl, Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, Miami Open presented by Itaú, major concerts, the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and FIFA World Cup 2026™. Due to its overall sustainability efforts, the multifunctional venue holds Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation rating. For more information, visit hardrockstadium.com.