7 players who will miss the 2024 Miami Open, ft. Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic
The stage is set in Florida for the final stop in the spring hard-court swing with the Miami Open presented by Itauright around the corner. Main draw action on the women's side is set to kick off on Tuesday 19th March, while the men's event is slated to begin the following day.
Dubbed the second leg of the "Sunshine Double," the event has attracted the game's biggest names in the past and continues to do so.
Defending champion Daniil Medvedev will walk in as a favorite on the men's side, but with the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner lurking around, it could be anybody's game. Other players in contention include Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, and the American duo of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
The women's side is set to feature World No. 1 and 2022 champion, Iga Swiatek, last year's runner-up Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, and others. The top seeds could very likely face a stiff challenge from the likes of Victoria Azarenka, a three-time champion at the event, and fellow veteran Caroline Wozniacki.
With all the talk devoted primarily to the participants, it is worth noting that some big names will be missing. On that note, let's take a look at seven players who will not compete in the 2024 Miami Open.
7 players who will miss the 2024 Miami Open:
#7 Karolina Muchova
Karolina Muchova had a breakthrough 2023 season. She reached her first Grand Slam final at the French Open, where she went down to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek. She also reached the last four at the US Open, falling to eventual champion Coco Gauff.
Her incredible form took her up to as high as No. 8 in the WTA rankings and a prized berth at the WTA Finals. A wrist injury she suffered at the US Open, however, forced her to retire from the finals and bring an early end to her season.
She gave fans a glimpse of her rehab after surgery in February earlier this year. Unable to compete anytime soon, Muchova, however, remains optimistic about her chances of returning to the sport as soon as possible.
#6 Belina Bencic
Belinda Bencic announced that she was pregnant with her first child in September last year.
The 2020 Olympic Gold medalist's last professional match was at the 2023 San Diego Open, and she hasn't featured on the WTA tour ever since.
With her sights set on being fit and ready for the Olympics later this year, Bencic most certainly won't return to action anytime soon. A representative stated that she is due later this year in spring.
#5 Nick Kyrgios
It remains to be seen when Nick Kyrgios will make his impending return to the sport following his injury hiatus since the start of the 2023 season.
The flamboyant Aussie's last professional match was back in June last year, at the Stuttgart Open in a season that was marred by a knee and wrist injury for which he underwent surgeries.
Despite not being on court and playing, Kyrgios has managed to stay relatively close to the sport with his analyst role at the Australian Open.
He delivered fans positive news about his rehabilitation recently and promised that he was eager to get back on the court as soon as possible.
#4 Stan Wawrinka
Stan Wawrinka confirmed a few days after his Indian Wells exit that he would not be competing at the 2024 Miami Open.
The three-time Grand Slam champion is still going strong at 38 years old, playing in his 22nd season on tour. He competed most recently at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open where he lost in a first-round epic against Tomas Machac.
The reason behind what prompted his withdrawal remains to be seen. When he will make his comeback also remains a mystery.
#3 Petra Kvitova
Petra Kvitova, just like Belinda Bencic, put her tennis career on hold in January earlier this year when she announced that she was pregnant with her first child.
She took to social media on the first of January, 2024, to announce the good news alongside her husband Jiri Vanek, who is also incidentally her coach.
Kvitova won the previous edition of the Miami Open. She beat Linda Noskova, Donna Vekić, Varvara Gracheva, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Sorana Cirstea en route to a summit clash with Elena Rybakina who was in line to complete the Sunshine Double, winning the title in Indian Wells a few weeks earlier. She beat Rybakina in the finals to clinch her ninth WTA 1000 event. She also returned to the top 10 with that win.
#2 Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal shut the door on the possibility of playing in both Sunshine Double events when he confirmed earlier that he would skip the Miami Open. He was ultimately forced to withdraw from Indian Wells a day before the start of the tournament stating that he does not find himself "ready to play at the highest level”.
His main objective remains, to be fit and fine for the clay court swing, and the Olympics, which will be played on the red clay, similar to that at the French Open.
#1 Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic confirmed as per reports after his shocking third-round exit at the 2024 Indian Wells that he would skip the 2024 Miami Open ahead of the clay court swing.
The World No. 1 suffered a shocking defeat to lucky loser Luca Nardi, going down 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. He is currently 8-3 this season and in uncharted territory without a title to his name as of yet.
With his withdrawal from Miami, it has now been 5 years since he last played in Miami. Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain beat him in the round of 16 back in 2019.
Djokovic, however, has won the event a record-tying six times.