Daily Dose of Social Media: Swiatek and Andreeva share court again, Ben Shelton shares romantic moment with football star

The final preparations of the big stars for their debut at the Miami Open continue, with several moments we review in a new Daily Dose of Social Media. Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva trained together just days after their semifinal clash at Indian Wells.

On the other hand, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic met at the practice courts with a special greeting between the two, while the Spaniard had a VIP spectator during his training, as Zheng Qinwen watched closely from the stands as the 4-time Grand Slam champion practiced. All this and more below!

Swiatek and Andreeva Play Training Set Ahead of Miami Open

Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva played a training set upon their arrival at the Miami Open. Two of the best players of the season faced each other twice in their last two tournaments, with wins for the teenager Andreeva at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Indian Wells, where she went on to claim the titles in both tournaments.

This time, they competed in a training set while awaiting their upcoming debuts in a couple of days. The 5-time Grand Slam champion is awaiting the winner between Anna Bondar and Caroline Garcia, while Andreeva (11th seed) faces the winner between Veronika Kudermetova and Xinyu Wang. Currently, the head-to-head stands at 2-1 in favor of the 17-year-old, who recently reached her career-high ranking of World No. 6.

Defending champion Danielle Collins returns to the Miami Open once again with her dog Quincy, who captured attention in 2024 during her run to the title. The World No. 15 will have a tough task ahead in defending her title, but she brought her good luck charm, her dog, affectionately known as "Mr. Q." Quincy was a major source of motivation and inspiration for the American during her 123-match winning streak, the best of her career.

“You know it’s funny, sometimes when he’s on court, he’s really good about it. He’s always come to practice with me, and he’s really good about staying on the side of the court,” the former World No. 8 said. “But there are times when, if I get upset or if I’m working really hard, he’ll actually come through the middle of the court, stop practice, and just stare at me for a while.”

Check out the video shared by Collins, in which she shares more about how her dog Quincy has become an inspiration as she travels the world for her commitments on the WTA Tour. "“Quincy takes his coaching duties very seriously 🐶Courtside for the big win last year, back for more in Miami!"

Shelton sparks rumors with romantic photo with American football Star

Ben Shelton shared a series of photos on Instagram, including one romantic shot with USWNT soccer superstar Trinity Rodman. Rodman currently plays as a forward for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and for the US Women’s National Team. She is the youngest player ever to be drafted in the NWSL and, as of March 2022, the highest-paid player in the league.

The World No. 14 immediately received responses from several of his fellow Americans, including Coco Gauff, Frances Tiafoe, and Sloane Stephens, who were surprised by the photo, which may suggest a new relationship between Shelton and the fellow athlete. "Hard launch" was a common comment among his colleagues. The 22-year-old tennis player is preparing for his debut at the Miami Open, where he will face the winner between Daniel Altmaier and Coleman Wong (WC). Shelton comes off a great run at Indian Wells, where he reached the quarterfinals but ultimately lost to eventual champion Jack Draper.

Djokovic and Alcaraz share warm reunion

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz met at the Hard Rock Stadium amid preparations for the tournament, where they were seen greeting each other after Carlitos arrived on court. As usual, they shared an affectionate greeting with a hug and smiles on the court, and Alcaraz also greeted Djokovic's coach, Andy Murray.

Both players are among the favorites for the Miami title and are arriving with a sense of revenge. Alcaraz was unable to defend the title he won in both 2023 and 2024 at Indian Wells, losing in the semifinals to Jack Draper. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic suffered a first-round defeat to Botic Van de Zandschulp, deepening doubts about his level this season. Alcaraz will debut against the winner of Aleksandar Vukic and David Goffin, while Djokovic awaits the winner of Hamad Medjedovic or Rinky Hijikata.

Zheng qinwen watches Alcaraz's training session: Future mixed doubles?

The gold medalist from Paris 2024 was a VIP spectator at Carlos Alcaraz's training session. The world No. 8 will be one of the favorites in Miami after a strong campaign at Indian Wells, reaching the quarterfinals, although she was ultimately defeated by defending champion Iga Swiatek. In a video shared by Tennis Channel, Zheng is seen in the stands of the Hard Rock Stadium, watching Alcaraz's training. The official Instagram account speculates about a possible mixed doubles partnership in the future. Will we ever see the Spaniard team up with the Chinese former Australian Open runner-up?

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