The Miami Open organisers have issued a major statement confirming the cancellation of all 37 matches on Wednesday's schedule after relentless rainfall wreaked havoc at Hard Rock Stadium. Persistent rain caused significant chaos, repeatedly delaying play throughout the day and into the evening, ultimately forcing the complete abandonment of both day and night sessions.
Initial Delays and Progressive Cancellations
Initially, only 12 matches were cancelled, with 14 remaining on the schedule and most courts expected to resume at 6pm local time (10pm GMT). However, the courts remained wet, and shortly after 6pm local time, organisers announced on social media that the day session had been completely cancelled. The night session was still anticipated to proceed not before 7pm local time (11pm GMT) on the Grandstand court, featuring just two matches: Venus Williams versus Francesca Jones, and Matteo Berrettini against Alexandre Muller.
Final Announcement and Rescheduling Plans
In a final, significant announcement at around 11pm GMT, organisers confirmed that both the day and night sessions had been cancelled, with all matches to be rescheduled. On social media, the Miami Open posted: "Session 3 & 4 on March 18 have been cancelled. All matches will be rescheduled. Impacted ticket holders will receive an email with next steps. Campus will remain open until 8.30pm."
The post also directed ticket holders to visit the website for ticketing information. The website states that when the day session is ended before the completion of one match (no matches completed), ticket holders are eligible for exchange as provided in the Ticket Exchange Policy. This applies to Stadium Court, Grandstand, and grounds pass ticket holders.
Ticket Exchange Policy Details
The policy specifies: "If a Miami Open session is cancelled (as provided for in the Cancellation Provisions below), tickets can be exchanged on a one-for-one basis for this year's Miami Open (2026), subject to availability." This ensures that fans affected by the weather disruption have options for future attendance.
Broadcast Coverage and On-Scene Reports
The Tennis Channel broadcast live pictures from around the grounds as the rain continued to fall, with all courts drenched. Commentator Chanda Rubin told viewers: "We are back live with you from Miami, and we wish we had better pictures to show you, but it has been raining all day long. Fans have been waiting patiently, here's a look at the current sky above the Hard Rock Stadium. We were supposed to be working the last hour or so, last 30 minutes or so, but it's just not to be. As you can see, all of the courts are wet, the rain has continued. They have been drying them throughout the day, but right now, we are waiting for the rain to stop."
Additional Match Disruptions and Court Issues
Other fixtures that failed to materialise on Wednesday included Jennifer Brady versus Sloane Stephens and Stefanos Tsitsipas against Arthur Fery. Wednesday's schedule had already been disrupted by rainfall earlier in the week. The 5,000-capacity Grandstand court was the largest court on the order of play, as the main, near-14,000-strong Stadium Court remained out of action, requiring 'additional preparation'. It was hoped the Stadium Court would be ready for use on Thursday, but the ongoing weather conditions have cast doubt on this timeline.
The persistent rainfall has not only affected match schedules but also posed logistical challenges for organisers, who are now focused on rescheduling and managing ticket exchanges to minimise disruption for fans and players alike.
