Everything we know as Miami Open cancel matches and release statement | Tennis | Sport

Miami Open organisers were forced to cancel multiple scheduled matches and delay the entire tournament on Wednesday as heavy rain continued to hit the grounds. The decision came after a total washout of play for over six hours, leaving the tournament with a massive backlog as officials struggle to adapt to the reality of the weather.

In an unusual move, centre court was shut for the entire Wednesday session. Officials confirmed that significant rainfall in the days leading up to the event left areas of the primary show court requiring “additional preparation,” forcing high-profile matches to be either moved to outer courts or postponed entirely.

Tennis icon Venus Williams saw her highly anticipated clash with Francesca Jones removed from the Wednesday schedule and then put back on. They were originally set to headline the night session on the Grandstand.

While the rain fell, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka threatened to skip future events after a dispute wilabelledbai tournament director. Sabalenka labelled recent comments regarding player withdrawals as “ridiculous,” creating a tense atmosphere off the court as players waited for the rain to stop.

Several major ATP matches were eliminated from the lineup to manage the court shortage. Among those affected were Matteo Berrettini and Stefanos Tsitsipas, further complicating the schedule for a tournament that is already struggling to find a rhythm.

Despite efforts to start play on the Grandstand and outer courts at 11am, no players were able to take to the court for most of the day. The “not before” start times were repeatedly pushed back, leaving thousands of fans waiting under cover as grounds crews battled the relentless South Florida weather.

The weather chaos follows a wave of player withdrawals that hit the tournament earlier in the week. With 20 players already pulling out, including Novak Djokovic and Emma Raducanu, the added pressure of a condensed, rain-delayed schedule is raising concerns about the physical toll on the remaining athletes.