The 2025 Miami Open has kicked off as several top stars on the ATP Tour search for some big wins in Florida.
After a thrilling first Masters 1000 tournament of 2025 at Indian Wells, the tennis world has headed east for the Miami Open.
Jannik Sinner is the defending champion in Miami, but won’t compete this year, as he serves his three-month ban from tennis.
Photo by Brennan Asplen/Getty Images
World number three Carlos Alcaraz is undoubtedly one of the favorites for the title in his absence, having picked up the trophy three years ago.
Top seed Alexander Zverev is another to watch out for in The Sunshine State, narrowly coming up short in the 2018 final.
One ATP veteran who was hoping to reach his second Miami Open final has just announced his withdrawal from the event, hours before his first-round match.
2016 Miami Open finalist Kei Nishikori recently took to X to share the news of his withdrawal from the tournament.
“Unfortunately I have to pull out of the Miami Open today,” he said.
“My body has not recovered enough from the matches last week.
“I will now go home and get ready for the clay court season.”
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Having lost to Ugo Humbert in the second round at Indian Wells, the Japanese star enjoyed a strong run to the semi-finals of the Challenger event in Phoenix.
Nishikori lost in the semi-finals, falling to defeat against Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca, 3-6, 3-6.
A strong showing in Arizona saw Nishikori jump up 12 places in the rankings to 64th as he continues to find form following a long injury layoff.
He had been set to face off against his countryman Yoshihito Nishioka in the first round of the Miami Open, the man he recently reclaimed the Japanese number-one ranking from.
Nishioka will now play a Lucky Loser in round one, as he looks to advance to the last 64, where he could take on Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
During the 2010s, Nishikori consistently reached the latter stages of the ATP Tour’s biggest tournaments, mixing it with the best in men’s tennis.
In 2016, Nishikori played some excellent tennis as he reached the final in Miami, knocking out four seeded players.
RoundOpponentScoreSFNick Kyrgios [24]6-3, 7-5QFGael Monfils [16]4-6, 6-3, 7-64RRoberto Bautista Agut [17]6-2, 6-43RAlexandr Dolgopolov [27]6-2, 6-22RPierre-Hugues Herbert6-2, 7-6
Kei Nishikori’s run to the 2016 Miami Open final
In the final, Nishikori took on number one seed Novak Djokovic, who was yet to drop a set all tournament.
An early break for the Japanese star in the first set was quickly canceled out by Djokovic, who proved too much for Nishikori as he powered into a 6-3 lead.
The windy conditions affected Nishikori in the first game of the second, dropping his opening service game to hand Djokovic the advantage once more.
Djokovic didn’t need much more encouragement as a second break at 5-3 saw him lift his third straight title at the Miami Open.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
The pair faced off in another Masters 1000 final later that year, as Djokovic beat Nishikori to win the Canadian Open.
Their second encounter was slightly more competitive than their first, as Nishikori lost, 3-6, 5-7.
Injuries have prevented Nishikori from playing a full schedule of Masters 1000 events over recent years, competing in just four tournaments since 2022.
He did, however, reach the quarter-finals in Canada last year, securing a big win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to the last eight.
It remains to be seen how Nishikori will perform at the next Masters 1000 tournament, when he travels to Monte-Carlo, on April 6.
