By: Christopher Menendez
The Miami Open has been a staple in the tennis community since 1985. Over 300,000 visitors attend the tournament every year, making it the largest tennis tournament outside the four majors. Somewhere between the crowd’s energy to the tournaments tradition, players have begun to feel at home at The Miami Open. Here are some fun facts shared by your favorite players during some behind the scene interviews at The Miami Open.
Serena Williams Zarina Diyas are friends off the court.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, we get along great. That’s no secret. She’s just someone that you respect and you like and you — I don’t know. Just something about her that I think everyone likes.
Damir Dzumhur used to be a child actor and hopes to pursue acting after his tennis career.
DAMIR DZUMHUR: “Yeah, I was acting in two movies. I had chances to be in some more in period after that, but I was already traveling the world with tennis…I hope that after my tennis career I’m going to have some chances to be in a movie again.”
New father Andy Murray says having a child has given him a new perspective on the game of tennis.
Andy Murray: You know, it does, at the end of the matches I think gives you a different perspective regardless of the result. There is something more important in your life now. So whether you win or lose, you know, it’s not irrelevant to me, but just not as important as it was before. I think it can help. Maybe a little bit less stressful than before for me.
In 1974, Billie Jean King took Chris Evert for ice cream at Dairy Queen after defeating her at a tournament in San Francisco.
CHRIS EVERT: Billie Jean took me to Dairy Queen after (beating her in the tournament’s finals). Billie Jean loves her ice cream.
Roger Federer sustained his knee injury earlier this year while waiting for his kids to take a bath!
ROGER FEDERER: I’m not sure they were in the room. But they were coming to take a bath, so I figure they were somewhere close.
If Djokovic could watch any player at The Miami Open it would be Gael Monfils.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Monfils, No. 1, by far, because you never know what’s coming up next. He is very unpredictable player, but very entertaining, and I think he’s great for the sport.
The action continues at the Crandon Park Tennis center, as we get closer to the finals.
About the Miami Open presented by Itaú
The 2016 Miami Open will be played March 21-April 3 at the Crandon Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.
About Itaú
Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 95,000 employees and operations in 20 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 25 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; strategic partnerships with sponsors and brands; and marquee assets across sports, entertainment, events, music and fashion.
