On behalf of the entire tournament staff, I want to welcome you to the 2018 Miami Open presented by Itaú. I am excited to be entering my first year as Tournament Director of this truly special event. It is made even more special given that this will be the last year on Key Biscayne before we move into our amazing new facility at Hard Rock Stadium in 2019.
We hope you take the time to soak in everything that the 2018 event has to offer, but also take a few moments to visit our 2019 sales center to see all the amenities and seating options we will have at our new home. I know you will like what you see. The sales center is located outside Gate C at the former Guest Services location. One of the things I always found special about the Miami Open is that it is located in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with a multicultural population and a glamorous reputation. It truly has an energy and excitement that is uniquely Miami.
You the fans make this event one of the favorites of tour players, and as a former player, I can tell you that your energy and support is appreciated by everyone who takes the court. When you’re not watching these incredible athletes perform, make sure you venture out to the Miami Open Experience on the west side of the stadium. We have brought back the beach, and this year it includes multiple shade structures and interactive games for you to enjoy. This is the perfect place to hang out in-between matches to enjoy a cold beverage, or grab a quick bite from one the gourmet food trucks on hand. You can also hang out on one of the many Adirondack chairs and watch live action on the large video board.
I would be remiss if I did not thank our presenting sponsor Itaú for their incredible energy and dedication to help make our event the best in the world. Make sure to visit the Itaú booth to view the tournament’s championship trophy, participate in the interactive activities they will have available, and get player autographs during our daily autograph sessions.
We are also happy to welcome back Lacoste as our apparel and eyewear sponsor. The quality and look of the merchandise, along with the wonderful shopping experience is something to behold. Make sure to check out their retail store for not only tournament and tennis items but their entire line of men’s and women’s apparel and eyewear.
When coming out to the event make sure to bring you MasterCard, the preferred card of the Miami Open. Show your MasterCard at the front gate and receive early access to the site, 30 minutes before the general public for your ticketed session.
Don’t forget, if you are looking for a place to relax you can visit one of our many restaurants and bars including The Eatery by The Knife, the Moet Champagne Lounge, the Bacardi Lounge and the Stella Beer Garden. Also, make sure to check out all of the food option we have available in the center pavilion. I think you will find the quality and variety is way above what you typically find at sporting events.
For all you social media fans out there make sure to follow us on our social media channels at @MiamiOpen and keep up with everything happening around the event including order of play, practice schedules, autograph signings and special events.
Assembling this event requires thousands of hours of preparation and execution by a wide variety of people. Our tireless staff, sponsors, vendors, volunteers, ball people, the ATP World Tour, the WTA, Miami-Dade County, and tennis’ top players have come together to make this global event the best of its kind in the world.
We would like to thank Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and the Board of County Commissioners for hosting our tournament on this wonderful site. We also need to thank Director Maria Nardi and everyone at the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department who through the years have worked tirelessly to maintain the tennis center and help us provide a world-class experience for our guests. We would especially like to thank former department head Jack Kardys, who retired prior to the 2017 Miami Open after 36 years of service.
As always, if you have any questions or would like to give us your feedback, stop by our Guest Service Center where our multilingual staff will be happy to assist you. Once again I would like to thank you for your patronage.
Sincerely,
James Blake
Tournament Director
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