The countdown to the second Grand Slam of the season continues over the next seven days or so, as some of the best players in the world on both the ATP and WTA Tours will be in action at the Miami Open. It is a thrilling event to be played in the United States, with the grounds at the Hard Rock Stadium playing host to the event. You can find out everything you need to know about both events as well as the most likely winners here.
WTA Miami Open
The main draw of the WTA Miami Open gets underway on Tuesday, March 21, with the players involved competing in the round of 128. However, many of the top seeds in the event will not enter the competition until the round of 64, which gets underway on Thursday.
Last year’s champion Iga Swiatek will be among the most interesting players once again this year, as the Polish star has been in excellent form throughout 2023 to this point. She was seeded at second for the event last year, but she cruised through the later rounds in 2022 after beating Petra Kvitova and Jessica Pegula in straight sets. In the final, she easily beat Naomi Osaka.
Belinda Bencic enjoyed an excellent run to the semi-finals last year, before she was eliminated in three sets by Osaka. The Swiss star will be seeded at ninth overall for the event this year, and another deep run is extremely likely. Elena Rybakina could be another player worth siding with, as the Wimbledon champion recently claimed success at Indian Wells.
However, as we look to take on the favorite, we will be taking a chance on Bencic improving on her showings last year by claiming a ninth career singles title.
Pick: Belina Bencic at BetXchange.
ATP Miami Open
The men’s competition doesn’t get underway until Friday, March 24, with the last qualifying matches taking place earlier in the week. As is the case with the women’s event, the male top seeds will not enter the competition until later in the tournament.
However, Carlos Alcaraz will once again be a key contender to watch out for after he claimed victory in the event last year. The Spanish star recently moved back to the top of the world rankings, but he will have to successfully defend his ATP title in order to keep hold of that spot. But, it could be hard to bet against Alcaraz, as he recently won the title at Indian Wells.
Casper Ruud is another player that could go well in Miami, as he has excelled throughout the season to this point. Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner are two other players on the cusp of top players, and could go well at the Miami Open. However, a chance could be taken on American Taylor Fritz, who looks set to make a bold showing after an early exit at the Indian Wells tournament at the quarterfinal stage.
Pick: Taylor Fritz at BetXchange.
