Miami Invitational

Miami Invitational is a home run for tennis in the Sunshine State

Dec 09, 2025

Tennis made history Monday night as loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, hosted its first-ever professional tennis event. The inaugural Miami Invitational brought Carlos Alcaraz, João Fonseca, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula to a packed crowd of 14,108 fans for a night of high-energy exhibition play.

Alcaraz and Fonseca faced off for the first time, with the Spaniard winning 7–5, 2–6, 10–8 in a match that showcased his power and showmanship. Earlier in the evening, Anisimova defeated Pegula 6–2, 7–5. Alcaraz and Pegula also topped Anisimova and Fonseca in a 10-point tiebreaker.

Photo credit: Mauricio Paiz for Florida Tennis.

Alcaraz was enthusiastic about the setting. “People are going to get entertained by watching us play. I think it's unusual watching us play in these kinds of stadiums and court,” he told reporters. “I’m having a lot of fun. Getting the energy from the people, playing in some places that we are not used to. It's exciting.”

Pegula added, "It gives it a [different] look for the fans, for everyone that's involved. For players, it kind of keeps us refreshed and kind of brings you back to why you're playing.”

Photo credit: Mauricio Paiz for Florida Tennis.

Stars like Inter Miami CF former players Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets sat courtside along with retired Brazilian star Ronaldo. And a heavy turnout of international fans made their voices heard — especially from Brazil and Spain — as tennis took over the field where the Marlins typically play.

Bringing elite tennis into a major-league baseball stadium gave Florida fans a new experience on every level. Judging by the turnout and the energy inside loanDepot Park, the Miami Invitational delivered exactly what it set out to do.