The Miami Open begins in full on Wednesday, but rain has delayed the play. The Masters 1000 event began on Tuesday, but with a limited run of non-qualifying matches. The problem is that the weather has played a part in the most expected of ways.
The tournament is held outdoors inside Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins. It's unique, but not a tennis facility. This means any weather issues will delay the play, and people who have purchased expensive tickets will need to wait to see the matches.
Maybe they decide not to even go, which affects how much money the concession vendors are taking in and the merchandise sold. The situation is far from ideal, and could mean the later matches, which include former top-10 ATP player Stefanos Tsitsipas, might not end until late, or be played at all.
Miami Open 2026 begins a sadly expected way
It is a mess, and one that could be avoided if the event found its own home and a location that isn't an outdoor football stadium. This would mean someone would have to put a bunch of money into building tennis-only facilities, the kind needed for the potential weather problems in South Florida.
To be fair, tournament director James Blake and his staff do an amazing job of producing a quality tournament, even while the event isn't held at a location like Indian Wells or the Cincinnati Masters. Cincinnati has poured money into its location, and it is one of the best for players and fans on both the ATP and WTA tour. Miami needs to do better.
That money isn't likely to come in. The major owners of the tournament do not need to do so. MARI is the majority owner of the tournament, and they make money off sponsorships. Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross owns a 45 percent stake in the tournament, and he owns the stadium in which the Miami Open is held, so why would he want to spend money on a new location?
Hopefully, the tournament won't result in too many weather delays, but no one can ever be sure when having a tennis tournament in March in Florida. The whole idea seems foolish. Moving it to October or November might be better, perhaps switching it with the Paris Masters.
That isn't going to happen, however. Instead, tennis fans need to hold their collective breath that what has happened on Day 2 of the 2026 Miami Open doesn't continue through the rest of the tournament.