Rain again spoiled the Miami Open party on Wednesday, wiping out the evening session and adding to what has been a soggy and dejecting kickoff to a tournament looking for a new start.
A move from the cramped Crandon Park on picturesque Key Biscayne to the wide open spaces at Hard Rock Stadium was hoped to provide the Miami Open with a bright future.
However, so far dark storm clouds have cast a wet shadow over proceedings.
Prior to the start of the tournament, officials had boasted of a 25 percent jump in ticket sales, but the stands have been mostly empty through two days, with only one of four sessions completed.
Organizers have now been left with a backlog of matches to schedule and refunds to send out.
Canadian teen sensation Bianca Andreescu, who claimed a stunning victory at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, was to be the headliner on the opening day, but never made it onto the 13,800-seat stadium court to face Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu.
Following a ceremonial ribbon-cutting earlier in the day under sunny skies involving Serena Williams, Roger Federer and world No. 1s Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic, action got underway with three-time Miami champion Victoria Azarenka defeating Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to christen the venue.
All of the 29-year-old Belarussian’s titles were celebrated at Crandon Park, but the move to the Miami suburbs did not have any affect on Azarenka, as the two-time Australian Open champion pounded 41 winners past her Slovak opponent.
“I think the stadium is beautiful. I think the logistics here work out pretty well,” former world No. 1 Azarenka said. “I feel the expansion of the tournament was, first of all, really necessary.”
“There is a lot more room. There is a lot better facilities. So I’m pretty happy,” she said.
Before the rain began, 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova gave the small crowd something to cheer about as she romped into the second round with 6-4, 6-3 victory over Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.
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