Emma Raducanu, Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki & Kei Nishikori awarded wildcards for Miami Open 2024
Grand Slam champions Emma Raducanu and Venus Williams featured among the first names who were awarded main draw wildcards to the 2024 Miami Open, which is scheduled to be held from March 17.
The joint ATP and WTA 1000 tournament is one of the biggest stops on the tennis circuit and forms the coveted ‘Sunshine Double’ together with the preceding BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
The announcement for the quartet of wildcards was made on the tournament’s official social media handles.
"Welcome your Wildcards! Thrilled to see familiar faces back at this year's edition of the Miami Open!" the post read.
Venus Williams is a three-time former Miami Open champion, having lifted the women’s singles trophy in 1998, 1999 and 2001.
The American beat Anna Kournikova in the 1998 final for one of the biggest titles of her career at that point. She squared off against sister Serena Williams in 1999 and got the better of Jennifer Capriati in 2001.
Wozniacki’s best showing at the Miami Open came in 2017 when she made it to the final with wins over the likes of Garbine Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova. She fell in the summit clash to Johanna Konta.
Emma Raducanu does not have much of a history in the tournament, having played in Miami only twice. The Briton made it to the second round on her debut in 2022 but lost in the opening round last year.
The Briton’s breakthrough run at the 2021 US Open, when she lifted her maiden Grand Slam title as a qualifier, was enough to secure her a wildcard for this year’s Miami Open.
Kei Nishikori, the only player to have secured a men’s singles wildcard in the announcement, is also a former finalist.
The Japanese player reached the summit clash in 2016, taking out the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Gael Monfils en route to the final. Nishikori fell to Novak Djokovic in the title decider.
Venus Williams, Emma Raducanu, Kei Nishikori set to face Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic tests at Miami Open
The road will not be easy for the wildcards being led by Venus Williams, Emma Raducanu and Kei Nishikori as they will find themselves in a jam-packed draw.
World No. 1s Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek have both confirmed their participation in the tournament, which will feature all top-10 players in both men’s and women’s singles as of now.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Jannik Sinner in the men’s singles final last year, while Elena Rybakina ousted Petra Kvitová to claim the women’s singles crown.