9 Things You Didn't Know About the Miami Open

Ahh , the Miami Open , an under - apprehended stop in the lawn tennis tourney circuit . Sometimes call “ the fifth Grand Slam , ” the Open places brutal knockout - court tennis in an oceanside Shangri-la , pretty much the best - potential mount for a tennis tourney . And because it ’s one of the newer contest on the enlistment , we ’re jolly sure you do n’t make out a heck of a peck about it – and that ’s where we hail in . Now shoulder strap on your short shorts and prepare to get hit with a volley of merriment facts .

1. It’s one of the newest major tournaments

Tennis has one of the retentive history of any modern sport , so it ’s pretty rare that a new tournament gets start up in the modern era . The Miami Open was started in 1985 by pro player Butch Buchholz ( for comparison , the first Wimbledon championships were hold in1877 ) . This is even more impressive when you conceive how big the Open has become in such a scant time .

2. They give away roughly two M1 Abrams tanks-worth of prize money

The Miami Open require to make a name for themselves when the tourney first start up , and they definitely bring home the bacon . Part of their strategy to get on the mapping of major tourney was to offer up some of the large cash booty for winners , at the metre only topped by the U.S. Open and Wimbledon . In 2015 , the total cash money given out wasover $ 12 million(yep , that ’s about two tanks deserving of cash ) , with the singles finalists need home $ 900,000 of that .

3. They have weirdly bad luck with their finalists

The men ’s final has been called off three times in Miami Open story . In 1989 , Thomas Munster was strike by a car right after his semifinals triumph , putting him in a wheelchair for month ( do n’t worry though , he would go on to make headway the clear eight yr later ) . In 2004 , Guillermo Coria withdrew from the last during the fourth Seth due to kidney stones . Maybe the courts were build up on an ancient Indian beach resort ?

4. “Bad luck” at the Open might also just mean a bad pillow

What ’s the worst reason for not finishing a concluding ? Ivanišević ’s pass on the 1996 last early on because his neck opening was stiff from sleeping awkwardly . With that much cash on the bloodline , you ’d cogitate he would ’ve baffle it out . Or at least husk out for a better pillow .

5. Maria Sharapova’s been in the final five times

Andlost every single time . Maybe it ’s karma for her recent execution enhance hassle , or maybe she ’s just no near in the Miami heating system . Either way , her criminal record at the Miami Open is worse than the Brown University ’ record with signal caller .

6. Weather hasn’t always been their friend, either

In 1992 , expression began on a massive upgrade on the Tennis Center ( now move to Crandon Park ) , including a million - buck club and raw stadium . Then , in a stroke of more spoilt fortune , the park was hit by Hurricane Andrew in August and a cyclone that was called “ The Storm of the Century ” in March of 1993 . Miami ! issue forth for the weather condition , detain because the weather shut down the airport .

7. It pulls in the population of St. Louis every year

It ’s not just celebs murder up Key Biscayne for tennis . change by reversal out that the Miami Open draw in in huge crew : in recent year , attendance has topped 300,000 people . That ’s or so the population of St. Louis coming to shoot the breeze for a duad weeks . For a non - Majors tournament , that ’s huge . It makes sense though – even if you grew trite of tennis rallies , the park is surrounded by unbelievable beaches and golf courses , so the perquisite are endless .

8. It’s the perfect place for a comeback

Tennis fans breathe a corporate suspiration of relief after Roger Federer announced he was returning to private-enterprise frolic at the Miami Open . His spiritualist of option ? A tweet using only emojis @-ing the Miami Open account . It it too soon for the Champagne-Ardenne emojis ?

9. Monica Seles kicked off a record winning streak there

1990 was a outstanding yr for young star topology on the tennis circuit . Monica Seles blow up onto the professional scene by come through the Miami Open at just 16 age old , kicking off a 36 - equal winning streak , including a profits at the French Open . A young Andre Agassi also made a name for himself , winning in Miami at years 19 with a hairline get on 45 .