MIAMI – The crown jewel of the ATP and WTA’s most glamorous event will be touring the greater-Miami area leading up to this year’s Miami Open presented by Itaú.
Each year, the champions of the Miami Open are presented with the Butch Buchholz Championship trophy. Redesigned in 2015, the hand-blown crystal trophy made by Lenox will make its way around South Florida.
Fans will have the opportunity to pose with the trophy as it makes stops at a number of local hotspots. The trophy will return to its home at the Crandon Tennis Center in Key Biscayne where it will be awarded on April 2 to the 2016 women’s champion and on April 3 to the men’s champion.
The first public appearance of the coveted crown will be on March 5 at the Starbucks on the corner of Lincoln Road and Pennsylvania Avenue in South Beach. On March 7, fans can catch the trophy in Sunrise at the BBT Center as the first-place Florida Panthers take on the Boston Bruins. Each stop along the tour will include social media contests and giveaways including tickets to this year’s event as well as autographed memorabilia from some of the biggest names in tennis. The full list of stops can be found online at www.miamiopen.com.
Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, the world’s top ranked players, return to Miami to defend their titles. Djokovic will compete to hoist the Butch Buchholz trophy for a record sixth time; tying him with Andres Agassi for most championships at the Miami Open. Williams seeks to cement her legacy on the purple courts in a quest to claim her ninth singles title in Miami.
On the doubles side, the Bryan Brothers, the most decorated doubles pair in the history of tennis, are the defending men’s champions, while current world No. 1 Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza won the women’s title last year.
This year’s draw, once again, features the very best tennis players in the world, including the 76 top ranked men and 72 of the 73 top ranked women in the world. Starting on March 21, tennis fans from across the world will get to see them battle for the right to take home the hardware. The two-week event not only showcases world-class tennis but also has become an annual entertainment spectacle with high-fashion shopping options, exclusive cuisine and much more.
With ticket packages starting at $136 and individual sessions starting at just $31, the Miami Open will be the place-to-be in Miami. Tickets are on sale now, for more information go to www.miamiopen.com or call the Miami Open ticket office at 305-442-3367.
Trophy Tour Stops:
Date Time Location Address
March 5 3 p.m. Starbucks 601 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139
March 7 6-10 p.m. BBT Center 1 Panther Pwky, Sunrise, FL 33323
March 11 6-8 p.m. Sushi Maki 2334 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Miami, FL 33134
March 12 2-5 p.m. Bacardi Sailing 2476 S. Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33133
March 19 6:30 p.m. American Airlines Arena 601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
March 20 5 p.m. Lacoste 1026 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139
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
Itaú 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, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 25 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment agency.
