By Justin Ross
Tuesday marked the conclusion of qualifying and the start of the women’s main draw for the Miami Open. On an exciting day of action, both fields yielded major suprises.
For the men, No.15 seed Dusan Lajovic, who reached the fourth round at Indian Wells, will head to the main draw with a defeat over No. 10 seed Nicolas Kicker.
Benjamin Becker, who defeated the No. 24 seed Monday, will head to main play after a victory over No. 3 seed Mikhail Youzhny.
Americans Christian Harrison, Frances Tiafoe, Tim Smyczek, Ernesto Escobedo and Jared Donaldson will also head to the main draw.
Donaldson booked his slot when he defeated Florida resident Stefan Kozlov. In 2015, Donaldson paired with Kozlov to win a doubles title in Maui.
On the women’s side, Americans Taylor Townsend, Varvara Lepchenko and Madison Brengle all reached the main draw.
Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck and Canada’s Francoise Abanda, who defeated the No. 1 and No.3 seeds respectively, both fell in the second round and will not reach the main draw.
Suffering a second-round defeat was also 15-year-old Anastasia Potapova, who had a tremendous first-round upset over a competitor ranked more than 350 slots greater than her.
Meanwhile, Kristyna Pliskova, twin sister of world No.3 Karolina Pliskova, was defeated in main draw play.
On Wednesday, the women’s main draw will continue, and the men’s main draw will begin.
Tickets to the 2017 Miami Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or online at www.miamiopen.com. An exhilarating two weeks of tennis, fashion, food and fun conclude with the women’s final on Saturday, April 1 and the men’s final on Sunday, April 2.
Individual session tickets start at just $24 and packages begin at only $136. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of the most glamorous event on both tours.
About the Miami Open presented by Itaú
The 2017 Miami Open will be played March 20-April 2 at the Crandon Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.
About Itaú
Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 95,000 employees and operations in 20 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 25 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; strategic partnerships with sponsors and brands; and marquee assets across sports, entertainment, events, music and fashion.
