Roger Federer, Rafel Nadal high-flyers in Miami
Nadal and 17-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer return to South Beach this week along with their box office punch.
Miami: After missing last year’s Sony Open, both world number one Rafa Nadal and 17-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer return to South Beach this week along with their box office punch.
There will be no shortage of tennis glitterati around Miami for the next fortnight with 19 of the top 20 men’s and women’s players in action at Crandon Park but perhaps none more welcome than Federer and Nadal as their absence last year left a hole that could not be filled.
Nadal and Federer are box office gold for any tournament and with the Spaniard missing due to a knee injury and the Swiss maestro on an extended break last year’s attendance dropped 5.5 per cent to 308,000.
With a promising weather forecast and lineup that includes world number one Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, defending men’s champion Andy Murray and three-time winner Novak Djokovic the Sony Open could set record ticket sales this year.
The women’s main draw gets underway with first-round matches on Tuesday while the men’s main draw begins Wednesday.
After a first-round bye, Nadal will open action against the winner of Dutchman Robin Haase and Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who will be chasing his 600th career win.
Third-seeded Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka along with big hitters Canadian Milos Raonic and American John Isner lurk as danger men. But it is the bottom half of the draw where the real intrigue lies with world number two Djokovic, fresh off a win at Indian Wells, two-time winner Federer and holder Murray all eager to pocket another Miami title.