Weather conditions show no signs of improving at Hard Rock Stadium, creating major problems for 2026 Miami Open organisers. Twenty-four qualifying rounds, along with several practice sessions, were already cancelled on this year’s “Free Opening Day” on Sunday, March 15.
Now, first-round matches featuring big names such as Venus Williams and Taylor Townsend are also being affected in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Venus Williams and Taylor Townsend’s Matches in Jeopardy Following Heavy Rain
The scheduling of the men’s and women’s singles championship matches at Indian Wells was under scrutiny by the tennis community due to questionable morning and afternoon timings. “Tennis Paradise” saw extreme heat on Sunday, with temperatures reaching around 95°F at the time of play. Notably, on the same day, the 2026 Miami Open faced severe weather, while the Coachella Valley saw the opposite.
The play on Sunday was completely washed out by heavy rain, cancelling the entire schedule and forcing organisers to reschedule for the next day. This led to a jam-packed schedule, with multiple matches held on the same courts within a short period.
On Wednesday, March 18, first-round matches for both men’s and women’s singles were initially scheduled for two sessions, day and night. Major names, including Williams and Townsend, were expected to step onto the courts for their respective matches, but the latest developments show no relief and further delays.
The first-round match between American wildcards Sloane Stephens and Jennifer Brady was originally scheduled for the afternoon session. Still, due to persistent rain, it will not start before 4 p.m. local time.
MORE: Miami Open 2026 Weather: Coco Gauff and WTA Field Face Uncertainty After Major Cancellation
Tennis legend Williams was scheduled to face Briton Francesca Jones, and Townsend was set to face Lulu Sun during the evening session. Considering the recent update, their matches are likely to be postponed to the next day, as their names were removed from the newly updated schedule. Also missing from the chart are originally listed Stefanos Tsitsipas and former champion Hubert Hurkacz.
Update: Miami ATP Masters 1000 Order of play – Wednesday, March 18, 2026 pic.twitter.com/aFUmqiGu6M
— Tennis Schedules (@SchedulesTennis) March 18, 2026
Top-ranked players, including Indian Wells champion Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 4 Coco Gauff, were also affected despite receiving a first-round bye. Training sessions for these players were organised before the main draw began, but they were cancelled entirely due to thunderstorms in Florida.
The official X account of the Miami Open shared an update on the same day, stating, “Due to inclement weather, all qualifying matches and practices have been cancelled for Sunday, 3/15. Match play will begin on Monday, 3/16 at 10 am.”
MORE: Miami Open 2026 Seeds, Wildcards, Format, and More Headlined By Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are again favorites in the men’s singles draw, with Daniil Medvedev being a strong contender to lift his second title at the venue. Czech star Jakub Menšík is the defending champion, having defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2025 final.
At the same time, Sabalenka is the defending champion on the women’s side, having defeated American Jessica Pegula last year to lift the title. Elena Rybakina is another strong contender on the WTA Tour, along with former champion Iga Świątek.
