WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE and PREVIEW | 2024 Miami Open including KERBER-STEPHENS, MURRAY-BERRETTINI and OSAKA

It is Wednesday 20 March at the Miami Open as the ATP Draw begins today along with the end of the first round in the WTA Draw with some top ties awaiting in particular on the main show court.

Our preview looks ahead to more first round action with the leading Miami Open talking points and top matches to look out for.

It is likely Andy Murray's final year on tour and it certainly doesn't get easier for him in terms of the draws with the former World No.1 now famous for getting pretty awful draws no matter how he gets into a tournament whether wildcard or main draw. That continues with Matteo Berrettini up first.

A former top 10 star, Berrettini is on the come back trail. Interestingly you would've potentially had picked Murray to win this easily about two weeks ago. But Berrettini showed a signal of intent by reaching the final of a Challenger in Phoenix on his return for the first time since last year's US Open where he looked good all week. So he actually goes off perhaps as the favourite. He holds a narrow Head to Head lead albeit Murray won their last match. An epic five setter at the Australian Open in a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7, 7-6 win.

It all begins with a clash of former Grand Slam champions as Angelique Kerber will face Sloane Stephens. The German will be confident ahead of this clash as she reached the Last 16 of Indian Wells losing to Caroline Wozniacki.

Stephens on the otherhand has often been the master of winning her opening game and then not capitalising on her momentum which was the case in California. So it will be an interesting tie between two players trying to find form. Also Naomi Osaka is a leading highlight.

Osaka though faces a tough test herself in Elisabetta Cocciaretto. A tough test as she has just won a WTA 125k defeating recent first time titlist Diana Shnaider in the final. So on paper, it could be a tricky nights work for the former World No.1. Donna Vekic v Karolina Pliskova and Arthur Fils v Matteo Arnaldi are other highlights as Day Two begins in Florida.

Sloane Stephens v Angelique Kerber

Tomas Machac v Darwin Blanch

Andy Murray v Matteo Berrettini

Not before 7:00pm local time: Elisabetta Cocciaretto v Naomi Osaka

Not before 8:30pm local time: Alex Michelsen v Lukas Klein

Luciano Darderi v Denis Shapovalov

Shelby Rogers v Linda Fruhvirtova

Not before 2:00pm local time: Donna Vekic v Karolina Pliskova

Katie Volynets v Sofia Kenin

Not before 7:00pm local time: Marcos Giron v Dominik Koepfer

Magdalena Frech v Camila Giorgi

Bernarda Pera v Danielle Collins

Nadia Podoroska v Ashlyn Krueger

Martin Damm Jr v Zhang Zhizhen

Arthur Fils v Matteo Arnaldi