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Champions prevail, Bradenton boys, and fierce action at the Miami Open

Champions prevail, Bradenton boys, and fierce action at the Miami Open

A trio of Major champions were among Wednesday’s winners at the Miami Open. Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens were straight sets winners in WTA action while Andy Murray outlasted Matteo Berrettini on the men’s side.

Another milestone was recorded late in the afternoon as 20-year-old Bradenton, Fla., native Martin Damm recorded his first ATP Tour match win, downing Zhang Zhizhen 7-6(2) 7-6(3). 

From left to right: One of Jerry's first coaches in Florida, Victor Hugo Camargo from Emilio Sanchez Academy in Naples, Jerry Shang, and Florida Tennis contributor Cameron Mofid.

Meanwhile, two other Bradenton boys went to battle yesterday in our pick for match of the day. Both players train in Bradenton at IMG Academy. In the end,  Juncheng "Jerry" Shang defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(5) in an epic showdown. Some monster tennis was on display on Court 1 yesterday — keep an eye on Jerry Shang after this big win.

So what's on tap today at the Miami Open? While the men’s seeds will still get one more day to prepare to play, the first round will conclude for the ATP with five players who have appeared in the Top 10 scheduled to play. Former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori leads that group, joined by Gael Monfils (career high No. 6), Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 6), Diego Schwartzman (No. 8) and Roberto Bautista Agut (No. 9) are all set to play at the Hard Rock today. 

Above: Maria Sakkari on the practice courts of the Miami Open. Photo credit: Miami Open presented by Itaú.

On the women's side, the first seeded players will showcase their skills today. Eighth seed Maria Sakkari will take the court for the first time since reaching the Indian Wells final when she faces Yue Yuan. Three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka, the No. 27 seed, will also be in action as she faces Peyton Stearns who won the 2022 NCAA singles title while playing at the University of Texas.

Between the action, be sure to stop by the Sunset Terrace Triangle to check out the historic mural designed by local graffiti artist, Sergio Quinonez (aka SURGE), in a cool collaboration with USTA Florida. In our opinion, it's the most stunning artwork on-site as it captures the rich history of Florida champions that have competed at the tournament. 

Above: A look at some of the stunning mural artwork on display at the Miami Open in a collab between SURGE and USTA Florida. 

In a nod to the Sunshine State, Sloane Stephens said, "I think Florida is just kind of like the Mecca of tennis where everyone knows to go. Like, if you are serious about your tennis, you go to Florida. You make your way to Florida someway somehow. Obviously an extremely popular destination between South Florida, between IMG, between all of the academies that they have here. Yeah, it's always been a hub for tennis and a very strong place."

Also, be sure to check out more highlights and plenty of juicy quotes from today's top stars during the Miami Open press conferences, courtesy of Florida Tennis contributor Adam Ross — visit our Florida Tennis Facebook page for more.

Order of Play (Thurs., 3/21)

STADIUM starts at 12:00 PM
[ATP] Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) vs [Q] Adam Walton (Australia) 
[WTA] NB 1:00 PM [8] Maria Sakkari (Greece) vs Yue Yuan (China) 
[WTA] Diana Shnaider vs [17] Madison Keys (USA) 
[ATP] NB 7:00 PM D. Lajovic (Serbia) vs Gael Monfils (France) 
[WTA] NB 8:30 PM [Q] Clara Tauson (Denmark) vs [4] Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) 

GRANDSTAND starts at 11:00 AM
[WTA] Diane Parry (France) vs [11] Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil) 
[ATP] Sebastian Ofner (Austria) vs [WC] Kei Nishikori (Japan) 
[ATP] Lorenzo Sonego (Italy) vs Daniel Evans (Great Britain) 
[ATP] [Q] Emilio Nava (USA) vs [Q] Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) 
[WTA] NB 7:00 PM Peyton Stearns (USA) vs [27] Victoria Azarenka 

BUTCH BUCHHOLZ starts at 11:00 AM
[WTA] [25] Elise Mertens (Belgium) vs [Q] Taylor Townsend (USA) 
[WTA] [32] Anhelina Kalinina (Ukraine) vs [WC] Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 
[ATP] [Q] Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) vs Fabian Marozsan (Hungary) 
[ATP] [WC] Martin Landaluce (Spain) vs Jaume Munar (Spain) 
[ATP] Roman Safiullin vs [Q] Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) 

COURT 1 starts at 11:00 AM
[ATP] Laslo Djere (Serbia) vs [Q] Coleman Wong (Hong Kong) 
[ATP] Alejandro Tabilo (Chile) vs [Q] Brandon Nakashima (USA) 
[WTA] [Q] Laura Siegemund (Germany) vs [9] Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) 
[WTA] [7] Qinwen Zheng (China) vs Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) 
[WTA] [16] Veronika Kudermetova vs Xinyu Wang (China) 

COURT 7 starts at 11:00 AM
[ATP] Daniel Altmaier (Germany) vs [Q] Harold Mayot (France) 
[ATP] [WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (Australia) / Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) vs Rinky Hijikata (Australia) / Alex De Minaur (Australia) 
[WTA] [5] Coco Gauff (USA) / Jessica Pegula (USA) vs [WC] Ashlyn Krueger (USA) / Sloane Stephens (USA) 
[WTA] Daria Saville (Australia) vs [28] Dayana Yastremska (Ukraine) 
[ATP] Alexei Popyrin (Australia) vs Facundo Diaz Acosta (Argentina) 

COURT 5 starts at 11:00 AM
[ATP] [WC] William Blumberg (USA) / Casper Ruud (NOR) vs [3] Rajeev Ram (USA) / Joe Salisbury (Great Britain) 
[ATP] [7] Kevin Krawietz (Germany) / Tim Puetz (Germany) vs Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina) / Tomas Martin Etcheverry (Argentina) 
[ATP] Julian Cash (Great Britain) / Tallon Griekspoor (Netherlands) vs [WC] Sebastian Korda (USA) / Andy Murray (Great Britain) 
[ATP] Emil Ruusuvuori (Finland) vs Yannick Hanfmann (Germany) 
[ATP] Daniel Elahi Galan (Colobia) vs Alexander Shevchenko (Kazakhstan) 

COURT 2 starts at 11:00 AM
[WTA] [24] Katie Boulter (Great Britain) vs [WC] Brenda Fruhvirtova (Czech Republic) 
[WTA] [22] Anna Kalinskaya vs Xiyu Wang (China) 
[WTA] [13] Liudmila Samsonova vs Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 
[WTA] Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway) / Hanyu Guo (China) vs [2] Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) / Erin Routliffe (New Zealand) 
[WTA] Eri Hozumi (Japan) / Makoto Ninomiya (Japan) vs Miyu Kato (Japan) / Aldila Sutjiadi (Indonesia) 

COURT 3 starts at 11:00 AM
[WTA] Ekaterina Alexandrova / Irina Khromacheva vs Hao-ChingChan (Chinese Tapei) / Guiliana Olmos (Mexico) 
[WTA] Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) vs [LL] Greet Minnen (Belgium) 
[WTA] Shuko Aoyama (Japan) / Aleksandra Krunic (Serbia) vs Nadiia Kichenok (Ukraine) / Fang-Hsien Wu (Chinese Tapei) 
[ATP] Alexandre Muller (France) vs Soonwoo Kwon (Korea) 
[ATP] Aleksander Vukic (Australia) vs Roberto Carballes Baena (Spain) 

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Written by Florida Tennis' Editor and Publisher Matt Pressman. Source: Miami Open presented by ItaúPhoto credit (top photo): Miami Open presented by Itaú. Other photos: Florida Tennis.

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