Following the desert swing in Indian Wells, the tennis circuit moves directly to the East Coast. The 2026 Miami Open will gather the world’s elite at Hard Rock Stadium. From March 15th to 29th, professionals will compete under the Florida sun and high humidity for one of the most coveted titles on the ATP Tour. This preview provides everything you need to know for the next two weeks.
General Information: Key Facts at a Glance
The second tournament of the so-called “Sunshine Double” will be held on the rapid hard courts of Miami Gardens. While qualifying begins on March 15th, the men’s main draw traditionally starts in the middle of the first week.
Date: March 15th to 29th, 2026 (Main draw begins March 18th)
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA
Surface: Hard Court
ATP Points: 1,000 for the winner
2025 Champion: Jakub Mensik (CZE)
Participants: Favorites, Local Players, and German Hopefuls
The top 32 players in the respective rankings will be seeded and cannot meet each other until the third round. All seeded players receive a bye in the first round. Rankings as of March 16th will determine the seeding list.
Favorites
The Miami Open field is, as always, star-studded. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the clear favorites, having dominated the hard-court season last year and also performing well in Indian Wells in 2026. Daniil Medvedev also enters with strong credentials, having shown good form in the spring, stunning Alcaraz with a strong performance in Indian Wells, and having triumphed in Miami in 2023. Novak Djokovic, the 2025 finalist, withdrew due to a shoulder injury.
German/Austrian Participants
Alexander Zverev will once again lead the German contingent, having previously shown strong performances in Miami and arriving as a co-favorite after reaching the semi-finals in Indian Wells. Alongside Zverev, Daniel Altmaier and Jan-Lennard Struff will also compete in the main draw.
Additional players like Yannick Hanfmann or Justin Engel could earn their place through qualifying, as could the Austrians Sebastian Ofner and Filip Misolic.
Local Players and Special Guests
The American contingent boasts several strong contenders, including Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, young talent Learner Thien, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe, all of whom will be particularly motivated playing on home soil. Wildcards have been awarded to young talents like Darwin Blanch and Japanese hopeful Rei Sakamoto. Stan Wawrinka, however, did not receive a wildcard, as was the case in Indian Wells.
The men’s main draw begins on Tuesday, March 17th, with the first matches of the women. The men will start their singles competition one day later. Qualifying begins on Sunday, March 15th. A total of 96 players will compete in the main draw, including qualifiers and wildcard entrants.
Schedule: Daily Schedule and Final Time
In Miami, matches are played in both a day and night session. For fans in Germany, In other words tennis action from the late afternoon into the night.
March 15th – 17th: Qualifying (Start approx. 4:00 PM CET)
March 18th – 19th: Men’s Round 1 (Start approx. 4:00 PM CET)
March 20th – 23rd: Rounds 2 & 3 (Start approx. 4:00 PM CET)
March 24th: Round of 16 (Start approx. 4:00 PM CET)
March 25th: Quarterfinals (Start approx. 4:00 PM CET)
March 26th: Quarterfinals & Semifinals (Start approx. 6:00 PM CET)
March 27th: Semifinals (Start approx. 6:00 PM CET)
March 29th (Sunday): Final (Start approx. 6:30 PM CET)
Prize Money and ATP Points
The Miami Open is one of the most financially lucrative tournaments outside of the Grand Slams. In 2026, the tournament will distribute approximately $18.8 million (around €16.5 million), with prize money for men and women distributed equally. The singles champion will receive a check for approximately $1,151,380, while reaching the final will earn over $600,000.
In terms of the world rankings, the tournament is also a milestone: The champion receives the full 1,000 ATP points, the finalist receives 650 points. Even reaching the semi-finals yields 400 points, a reward that is almost enough for a win in smaller tournaments.
Past Winners: The Most Successful Players in Florida
The list of champions in Miami reads like a “Who’s Who” of tennis history. Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic have particularly left their mark on the tournament, both being record champions with six titles each.
2025: Jakub Mensik
2024: Jannik Sinner
2023: Daniil Medvedev
2022: Carlos Alcaraz
2021: Hubert Hurkacz
2020: Tournament not held due to COVID-19
2019: Roger Federer
2018: John Isner
2017: Roger Federer
2016: Novak Djokovic
2015: Novak Djokovic
2014: Novak Djokovic
2013: Andy Murray
2012: Novak Djokovic
2011: Novak Djokovic
2010: Andy Roddick
2009: Andy Murray
2008: Nikolay Davydenko
2007: Novak Djokovic
2006: Roger Federer
2005: Roger Federer
2004: Andy Roddick
2003: Andre Agassi
2002: Andre Agassi
2001: Andre Agassi
Miami Open Live: Broadcast on German Television
Those who want to watch the matches of the Miami Open live in Germany will primarily identify coverage on pay-TV. Sky Sport Tennis will broadcast the entire Masters tournament live and exclusively. Thanks to the cooperation with the ATP, almost all matches from Stadium Court and the side courts will be streamed via Sky Go and WOW.
The decisive stages and the men’s final on Sunday, March 29th, will be broadcast at prime time at 6:30 PM CET. Internationally, the matches can be streamed via TennisTV.
The Miami Open promises another fortnight of thrilling tennis action. With a stellar field and the Florida sunshine adding to the atmosphere, fans can expect a captivating tournament. The action continues with qualifying rounds beginning March 15th, setting the stage for the main draw and a potential battle for the title.
Worth a look
