Rain is the main story at the Miami Open and there has been a plenty of debate over the conditions at the venue in the recent years and now Alexander Zverev has come up with a less-than-flattering verdict on the stadium being used.
With Djokovic not playing the Floridian Masters, Zverev is the #4 seed in Miami and he entered the R4 of the event with a solid 7-6(4), 6-3 win against home hope Christopher Eubanks.
“It was a difficult match,” Zverev said. “I thought he was in control of it throughout the first set.
“He came out swinging and didn’t give me chances to be aggressive. I tried to mix it up from the baseline.
“I was surprised how well he was playing from the baseline, not giving me many unforced errors. He makes a lot but usually misses a lot but today he wasn’t missing, especially through some stages of the first set.”
In a more detailed interview with the Tennis Channel, Zverev offered his thoughts on the unconventional Hard Rock Stadium site being used for the Miami Open, with the tennis court located inside the big stadium.
The outside courts are temporary structures, with Zverev among those who preferred playing at the Key Biscayne venue that hosted the tourney until 2018.
“I loved playing at Key Biscayne, I loved being there,” he said. “I had some good success and was close to winning a title there.
“Here, I am still trying to find my rhythm because there is extreme difference from the way Centre Court plays compared to the other courts simply because we play inside a massive stadium and it is kind of covered.
“The surface is also a bit different to outside (courts), where we are kind of playing on a parking lot. That is the vibe.
“So, I hope I can make a deep run here. I feel like I’m playing well and I hope I can have a good tournament.”
Zverev’s brutal obliteration of Miami Open backs up Casper Ruud comments who didn’t hold back in verdict on the Miami Open.
The ATP stars were offered the first class facilities at the Indian Wells Masters earlier this month, the quite opposite of what they experienced in Miami.
“There’s been no towels, no cold water, and just a plastic chair to change. This is a joke,” said Ruud in on-court comments to the chair umpire.
“And you know why it is? because the tournament is too cheap to put up something good for the players.
“The players come here every year to play, to put on a show in front of tens of thousands of people and then they treat us like this.
“Go to the trailer for five minutes in a room with nothing and just a plastic chair to change.
“Maybe they can put some towels, maybe some cold water for the players’ comfort. And it’s not your fault. I’m just saying how bad it is.
“No, I know you didn’t know but I’m telling you now. And you have to take it on today to whoever is in charge, Andrea, Massimo, whoever. Because every time the players complain, nothing happens.”
Miami Open Tournament Director James Blake may have something to respond to the displeasure of some of the biggest names on the tour, but it is clear that they are unconvinced with the way organizers are managing the event in Key Biscayne.