By Justin Ross
Wednesday marked the first day of men’s main play at the 2017 Miami Open. Headlined by a wild iguana that made an appearance in a match, here are some key takeaways:
For the first time since his semifinals appearance in 2013, German Tommy Haas returned with a round one loss against Jiri Vesely. Haas was the oldest player in the singles draw. He turns 39 on April 3.
During Haas’ match, an iguana ran on the court. Pandemonium ensued.
Americans Ernesto Escobedo, Taylor Fritz, and Jared Donaldson won their openers. They are three of 11 players in the main draw who are 21 and under.
World No. 47 Ryan Harrison lost to Fabio Fognini, who also defeated Harrison at Indian Wells in 2014. Harrison leaped over 100 spots from a year ago, when he was No. 165.
Ryan’s young brother, Christian, also lost.
American wildcard Michael Mmoh was unable to capture his first ATP World Tour win in a loss to Frenchman Nicholas Mahut.
In an all-Argentinian showdown, Federico Delbonis beat Juan Monaco. Monaco’s streak of 14 straight Miami Open appearances is second only to David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco, both of whom hold 15.
With a first-round win, Yoshihito Nishioka will play world No. 17 Jack Sock in round two. Nishioka is 1-0 in career appearances against Sock.
Kevin Anderson, who will play world No. 4 Kei Nishikori in round two, won their last battle in 2015.
Singles play will continue and doubles are set to begin. Set to take the courts are a number of intriguing names, including young American Frances Tiafoe, Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Zverev, and Dominic Thiem.
The full schedule can be seen here: https://www.miamiopen.com/2017-draws-and-order-of-play
Tickets for the annual event start at $12 for youth and $15 for adults. A group rate of $7 is also available for 20 or more and grant access to all day session matches. Tickets are on sale now, for more information go to www.miamiopen.com or call the Miami Open ticket office at 305-442-3367.
The 2017 Miami Open is scheduled for March 20 – April 2 and will once again be the hottest ticket in town. With ticket packages starting at just $136 and individual sessions starting at $20 the Miami Open will be the place-to-be.
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.