Rain chaos halts Miami Open as full day of matches cancelled

The 2026 Miami Open was brought to a halt on Wednesday after persistent rain forced the cancellation of the entire day’s schedule, disrupting first-round action at both the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 events. What was expected to be a full day of matches quickly turned into a stop-start affair before organisers ultimately suspended play.

Several high-profile names had been set to take to the court, including Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz and Matteo Berrettini on the men’s side. Meanwhile, Venus Williams was among the headline acts, alongside the return of Jennifer Brady against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

From early in the day, rain delays dictated the rhythm of play. Matches were repeatedly pushed back as organisers attempted to keep the schedule alive, but worsening conditions made it increasingly difficult to proceed.

By the evening, hopes of salvaging at least part of the session remained, but those plans were abandoned. Around 19:00 local time, the tournament confirmed that no matches would be played, leaving a significant backlog heading into the next day.

The disruption comes at a critical stage, with the men’s main draw only just getting underway. Players such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov and Paula Badosa were all scheduled to begin their campaigns, but must now wait as the tournament attempts to recover lost time.

At one point, organisers indicated that only a limited number of matches would go ahead, including Venus Williams’ clash with Francesca Jones and Matteo Berrettini’s meeting with Alexandre Muller. However, continued rain forced a complete shutdown before any meaningful action could take place.

The cancellation underlines the vulnerability of outdoor events, particularly in early rounds when the schedule is at its most congested. With multiple courts affected and no indoor alternatives, the margin for delay quickly disappeared.

The women’s draw had already begun on Tuesday, with players such as Zeynep Sonmez, Ajla Tomljanovic, Katie Boulter and Sorana Cirstea advancing to the second round. However, overall progress remains limited, increasing pressure on the upcoming schedule.

Thursday is now expected to carry a heavy load of matches, with organisers aiming to complete a large portion of the delayed first-round action. The schedule includes several notable clashes, such as Jennifer Brady against Sloane Stephens and Paula Badosa facing Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Other matches set to take place include Ann Li versus Kimberly Birrell and the postponed encounter between Venus Williams and Francesca Jones. With conditions expected to improve, the tournament will look to regain momentum, though players may now face tighter turnarounds in the days ahead.