MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Open is underway at Hard Rock Stadium, and some of the sport's biggest names are ready to compete — including two players with deep ties to South Florida.
Coco Gauff, a Delray Beach native, and Jessica Pegula, a Boca Raton resident, are both in the draw, giving Palm Beach County tennis fans a pair of familiar faces to cheer for.
WATCH BELOW: Miami Open underway with Delray native Coco Gauff set to compete
Gauff, the No. 4 seed, said the tournament brings out a crowd that goes well beyond the usual tennis audience.
"I have a lot of family coming this week, and some of them don't know tennis, and they'll ask what time you play, and I'll tell them I don't know. I'll probably find out ten minutes before you guys. So this will probably be the week where I turn my phone off," Gauff said.
Pegula said playing close to home makes the event especially meaningful.
"Growing up here and playing at home and being able to stay home in such a fun tournament for me, I mean, obviously it's in a football stadium," Pegula said.
While both players are embracing the homecoming atmosphere, the competition remains the priority. Standing in the way of the field is 2025 defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who said she is focused and motivated heading into the tournament.
"My head is always in one direction, it's just keep working and keep improving and keep getting better. I'm happy to be back in Miami. I have really great memories from last year, and I really hope to do well again this year," Sabalenka said.
Gauff enters the tournament after being forced to retire from her match at Indian Wells due to sharp pains in her arm. She said an MRI came back clear.
"I think it was a nerve thing, and in the MRI, nothing was shown. It was the first time I had to take an MRI. MRIs are expensive," Gauff said.
With the first round of play complete, the stage is set for what promises to be a competitive Miami Open.
Gauff is scheduled to play on Thursday. Her opponent has not been determined yet.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
