Murray halts Berrettini in thrilling three-setter, Osaka also prevails on 2024 Miami Open debut

by Daniel Perisse

Andy Murray and Naomi Osaka got off to a good start in the 2024 Miami Open presented by Itau by winning their opening matches Wednesday, the first day of Stadium play.

Murray needed 2 hours and 48 minutes to defeat former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, while Osaka opened the night session by overcoming another Italian, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 6-4, 6-3 in her return to the Magic City after maternity leave.

A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka returned to the tour this season. So far, her best result was reaching the quarterfinals at Doha. In seven appearances at the Miami Open, the Japanese tennis player has never lost an opening match.

“I think I played my game and I’ve never played her before but she was good at forehands and backhands too so, I just tried to stay focused on myself. Next up for Osaka is Elina Svitolina, another player who came back to the tour after giving birth. Osaka described the Ukrainian as a “fighter”: “She’s the type of person that would never give up on a single ball and that’s why she is where she is right now. And I also feel like it’s incredible for her to have had a kid and already be doing so well and winning so many matches”. Concerning Murray, he began his 14^th Miami Open appearance by defeating Italian Matteo Berrettini, former World No. 6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted almost three hours. “I started off a little bit slow, but I do think I played pretty well from the middle of the first set until the end of the match. I created a lot of opportunities and he was struggling for a little bit at the end of the second and beginning of the third. I capitalized on that and got off to a quick start in the third. I served it out well in the end,” said the British during the post-match interview.

With today’s win, Murray joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the 30-win club in Miami. The Serbian boasts 44 wins in South Florida, where Nadal has 40.

The opening Stadium match had Plantation, Fla. native Sloane Stephens celebrating her 31^st birthday by defeating 6-2, 6-3 German Angelique Kerber, another former WTA No.1 who is coming back after giving birth to her daughter just over one year ago.

“It’s a tough match to play someone who’s coming back, someone who’s had amazing results, had an amazing career, obviously, and she’s a great player. So, I know it’s going to be tough but just really happy to be through today and have played some solid tennis,” said the 2018 Miami Open champion.  The 2017 US Open winner will now face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. Overall, the head-to-head between them is tied at 2-2. Other Americans into the second round in the Women’s Singles draw are St. Petersburg, Fla. native Danielle Collins, who defeated countrywoman Bernarda Pera 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; Shelby Rogers, from Mount Pleasant, S.C., overcame Czech Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6,6-4, 6-2; and 23-year-old Claire Liu from Thousand Oaks, Calif. prevailed over Croatia’s Petra Martic 6-4, 6-1.  On another women’s all-American clash, 22-year-old Katie Volynets from Walnut Creek, Calif. routed Pembroke Pines, Fla. native and 2022 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

2023 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, Monfils lead off Thursday night session

The first match of the night session in the Stadium on Thursday features Gael Monfils, a fan-favorite of the tour, taking on Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.

At 37 years old, the Frenchman is a former World No. 6 and has reached an ATP-level singles final at least once since 2015, for 19 consecutive seasons.

Following that match, World No. 4 and 2023 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan plays her opening match against Danish qualifier Clara Tauson.

A runner-up last year here at Hard Rock Stadium, Rybakina already won two titles in 2024 (Brisbane and Abu Dhabi) and lost the Doha final to Iga Swiatek. She also prevailed in the only WTA-tour-level match played against Tauson, in the round of 32 at the 2019 Bastad tournament.

The day session in the Stadium starts at noon, with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and Australian qualifier Adam Walton battling to see who will face the No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in the Men’s Singles second round.

Not before 1 pm, Indian Wells runner-up Maria Sakkari begins her quest for the title against Yue Yuan from China in a second-round clash, followed by the match between Rock Island, Ill. native Madison Keys and Daria Shnaider, who scratched off Venus Williams in the first round.

Three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka debuts tomorrow at the Grandstand, not before 7 pm. The No. 27 seed meets 22-year-old Peyton Stearns from Cincinnati, Ohio. This will be the first time they play each other on the tour.

The Grandstand slate begins at 11 am featuring Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, the No. 11 seed, and Diana Parry from France. Former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori is next, facing Austria’s Sebastian Offner in the Men’s Singles first round.

Among the players scheduled for court Butch Buchholz tomorrow are Chicago native Taylor Townsend, taking on Belgium’s Elise Mertens, the No. 25 seed; former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki facing Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina, and Diego Schwartzman, also a former top 10 player, against Roman Safiulin.

Wednesday’s matches start at 11 am, except for the Stadium (at noon).  Download the order of play and get your grounds pass tickets here.