Tennis · International
Miami awards wildcards to Williams, Stephens and emerging players
Eight main-draw invitations mixed returning champions with young prospects.
Source publication date:
Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens received Miami Open main-draw wildcards, bringing two former tournament champions into the field. Williams returned to an event she had won three times, while Stephens resumed her comeback at the site of her 2018 singles championship.
The remaining invitations went to Ashlyn Krueger, Taylor Townsend, Lilli Tagger, Jennifer Brady, Darja Vidmanova and Emerson Jones. Tagger was the reigning Roland Garros girls’ champion, Vidmanova the 2025 NCAA singles winner, and Jones a former junior world number one.
The selections also recognised recent form: Townsend had reached the Austin final, and Krueger made Miami’s fourth round the previous year. Brady returned after a long injury absence. Main-draw play was scheduled from 17 March, with the tournament continuing through 29 March.
Sources
Check the original record.
Open the governing body or organiser’s publication for the underlying result, decision or tournament update.