Miami Open Wildcards confirmed: Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Jennifer Brady headline as Stan Wawrinka snubbed again

Wildcards are now confirmed for the MiamI Open which is due to take place between March 15-29 at Hard Rock Stadium headlined as expected by Venus Williams who continues to get wildcard chances.

Williams will be part of the field for the Miami Open after making her debut 29 years ago in 1997 and won her first Miami trophy just one year later. She is also joined by a fellow former champion in the field. Sloane Stephens captured the title back in 2018 and also returns.

While there are further wildcards for a slew of top Americans and given that it is ran by IMG some of their talents from throughout the world also benefit. Jennifer Brady gets another chance to return after playing Indian Wells. She is also joined by established names in Taylor Townsend and Ashlyn Krueger.

While Lilli Tagger, Emerson Jones and Darja Vidmanova also join proceedings on the WTA side. Williams who has won the title three times returns for her 23rd appearance at the tournament and at 45, it is her 111th WTA 1000 level event. This is the fifth most in history and shows a truly remarkable legacy.

Stephens is an eight-time WTA title winner and claimed the 2017 US Open and in 2018 she was the runner-up at both Roland Garros and the WTA Finals. She has faced a long road back and will hope to make inroads. Same can be said for Brady who caught lightning in a bottle by reaching the final of the 2021 Australian Open but has since battled a myriad of injury problems.

Townsend reached the final just this month in Austin and has reached the third round in Miami the past two years.

Over in the ATP the big surprise is that a certain Stan Wawrinka has again been snubbed seemingly in favour of mostly IMG talents who also played the event last year.

Darwin Blanch and Martin Damm for instance have both been picked on previous occasions. Damm reached his first ATP semi-final in Montpellier last month and they are also joined by French rising star Moise Kouame who has already won two ITF titles this year. Rei Sakamoto has also been impressive winning three Challenger crowns.

While Yibing Wu is the only player who is not a rising star or teenager to be included. The former first time Chinese men's winner who won in Dallas back in 2023 is involved over the next week.