Heavy rain, flooding expected Friday, could disrupt star-studded Miami Open lineup

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Mother Nature clearly did not consult with Miami Open organizers about Friday’s schedule.

A severe weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service for heavy rainfall leading to potential flooding beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, hours before a long list of the biggest names in tennis are set to play their opening matches.

Among the highly seeded players scheduled to take the court: Defending men’s champion and No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev, Australian Open champion and No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, and No. 3 Coco Gauff of Delray Beach. Sabalenka will be playing for the first time since the death of her ex-boyfriend, who jumped from the balcony of a Bal Harbour hotel on Sunday night.

Other marquee names on Friday’s schedule include former No. 1s Andy Murray and Naomi Osaka; Americans Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Jessica Pegula and Sloane Stephens; Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Ons Jabeur.

Medvedev is coming off a loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final last weekend. Sinner, who lost to Medvedev in last year’s Miami Open final, turned the tables and beat the Russian for the Australian Open title in January.

Medvedev has had just two days of practice in the South Florida humidity after going until the final weekend in the desert at Indian Wells, but says he is feeling “quite well” on the fast courts at Hard Rock Stadium.

“I like Miami as a city, so always happy to come back,” Medvedev said on Thursday. “I like the energy, seems pretty chill energy, but at the same time they have good restaurants and music, stuff like this. I’m always happy to play good here because I can stay longer before going home. Last year, I had great confidence, played well against great opponents and I want to try to continue that this year.”

Medvedev’s title run capped one of the best season starts by any player in recent memory. He won 24 out of 25 matches across February and March, and his record was 29-3 after lifting the Miami Open trophy.

This year, he could wind up facing Alcaraz in the final if the Spaniard continues in the form he was last week in Indian Wells.

“The courts at Indian Wells suited Carlos’ game really well, everything around the tactical details,” Medvedev said. “He beat a lot of good guys quite easily there in two years. Two times champion. I played him both times in the final, it was tough. First set I was kind of there, and then second set he raised his level just a bit more and I couldn’t catch up.

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