Daily Dose of Social Media: Controversial boos disrupt Jack Draper’s match at Miami Open

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Novak Djokovic took photos with some music stars during his days competing at the Miami Open, while boos took over the tournament during the match between Jack Draper and Jakub Mensik.

On the other hand, Rafael Nadal congratulated Coleman Wong, one of the players trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy, after delivering one of the big upsets early on against Ben Shelton.

Rafael Nadal sent a heartfelt message via social media to promising Hong Kong tennis player Coleman Wong, following his historic victory over Ben Shelton at the Miami Open. Wong has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy since he was 17 and has developed a close relationship with the 22-time Grand Slam champion. He was even chosen to work with Rafa during his preparation for his return from injury ahead of the ATP Finals 2022.

This win marks Wong's progression to the third round of the Miami Open, in his first-ever appearance in a Masters 1000 main draw. It’s an impressive achievement for a player who, before September 2024, had never won an ATP Tour match. Nadal did not miss the opportunity to send a congratulatory message to his pupil, praising the significant accomplishment for both Wong and his country. “There is a lot of effort behind these victories. We are very proud of you, Coleman! ☺️ A historic win for Hong Kong 👏🏻”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is the player who always grabs attention at every tournament he attends. During his time in Miami, it’s no surprise that he crossed paths with well-known stars, as evidenced by photos of the Serbian alongside Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony — a four-time Grammy Award winner — and Jon Bon Jovi, the lead vocalist of Bon Jovi and Grammy Award winner.

Both stars were present at Djokovic’s victory over Rinki Hijikata on Friday night, where the Serbian won 6-0, 7-6. Djokovic advanced to the Round of 32, breaking a three-match losing streak. He will face Argentine lucky loser Camilo Ugo Carabelli, who is making his first appearance at this stage of a Masters 1000 event.

Karolina Muchova shared a video of herself playing football with some of her colleagues in the middle of the Miami Open. The Czech player posted a series of photos on her Instagram showing moments in the warm-up zone, including a video with Priscilla Hon, Kirsten Flipkens, physiotherapist Jarda Blazek, and her brother Filip Mucha.

The former French Open runner-up overcame her debut after Victoria Azarenka's retirement (6-0, ret.), following a heartbreaking injury where the Belarusian dislocated her shoulder. Muchova will face Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (22nd seed) in the Round of 32.

The recent Indian Wells champion, Jack Draper, suffered a straight-set loss to Czech Jakub Mensik in his first match at the Miami Open. The 23-year-old, who reached his career-high ranking of seventh, was defeated 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3) in the second round and was eliminated early from a tournament where he was considered one of the favorites.

The most controversial moment occurred in the second set when it was announced that the match between Brazilian Joao Fonseca and Frenchman Ugo Humbert would be moved to the main court. The Brazilian fans, who had been in the stands for hours, booed as they left to head to the other court due to the unexpected decision made by the organizers. Draper, who was leading 4-3, attempted to resume play but requested the umpire to stop the match because of the loud boos, which lasted for several minutes. The set continued with the same intensity, and Mensik took the tie-break to advance to the third round.