Three matches to watch as the Miami Open progresses, each carrying distinct storylines about form, style and recent results.

Siegemund and Alex Eala open the main stadium with a study in contrasts. Siegemund is a 38-year-old German; Eala is a 20-year-old from the Philippines. Eala holds the higher ranking, 29 to 53, but a large share of her points were earned at this tournament in 2025 when she stunned the field by beating Iga Swiatek to reach the semifinals. That history means she arrives with ranking points to defend and expectations to manage. Siegemund tests opponents with extreme deliberation between points and maximal variation during them, chopping forehands, driving backhands and using spin and angles. Eala relies on a single plan: drive the ball hard and flat into the corners. Eala’s consistency will likely determine the outcome as she navigates Siegemund’s eccentric rhythm. Winner: Siegemund

Joao Fonseca draws attention in the big stadium again after last year’s packed crowds. He could eventually face top seed Carlos Alcaraz, but first must get past Zsombor Marozsan. The two are similarly ranked, Fonseca 39th and Marozsan 46th, and Marozsan won their only prior meeting last spring on clay in Rome in a competitive two-set match. Marozsan is 6-7 this season and came into Miami after first-round losses in Dubai and Indian Wells. Fonseca is 4-4, having earned three wins in a strong Indian Wells run before falling in two tiebreak sets to Jannik Sinner. Fonseca’s game revolves around an explosive forehand; Marozsan, at 6’4″ and 165 pounds, is a long and lanky gunslinger who can answer fire with fire. The occasion and the crowd could favor Fonseca. Winner: Fonseca

Mirra Andreeva meets McCartney Kessler in the late stadium match on Thursday. Andreeva is ranked 10th and Kessler 51st, but Kessler won their only previous encounter last summer on hard courts in Montreal. Kessler reached a season high of No. 30 last year. In 2026 both players have lost ground: Kessler is 7-6 for the season and down 20 ranking spots since January 1; Andreeva is 12-5 so far in 2026 after a breakout into the Top 5 in 2025. Kessler has already survived a three-set match in Miami. The last time we saw Andreeva she was chucking her racquet in rage during her defeat in Indian Wells.

Daniil Medvedev’s recent good form on court has not been matched by smooth travel. After winning the ATP 500 in Dubai last month the former world No. 1 was among more than three dozen players and people connected to that event who were temporarily stranded when conflict in the region delayed departures to the BNP Paribas Open.

The group eventually made a lengthy overland journey from Dubai to Oman and then boarded a special flight to Indian Wells. Medvedev overcame the disrupted preparation to reach the final there, including an upset of Carlos Alcaraz on his way to a runner-up finish.

That resilience was tested again upon his arrival in Miami. On Tuesday he posted on X to alert the airline that his luggage had not arrived. “Hi United … need a little help,” he wrote. “Flew from [Palm Springs] to Florida yesterday and none of my bags arrived. Kind of need them to play in the Miami Open …. can you help?”

Medvedev received an automated response that treated the message like a routine lost-luggage claim, prompting reactions from the player and followers. “The amount of AI help has been overwhelming,” the 30-year-old quipped, responding with facepalm and shrugging emojis, while one follower appreciated that he “was treated as sh—ily as the rest of us.”

The situation ultimately was resolved. Medvedev’s bags were located first, and a day later the luggage belonging to the rest of his team was found as well.

The episode followed the earlier travel disruption tied to the Dubai tournament and served as a reminder that off-court issues can still intrude even when on-court results are positive.

Hi, this is Michael.

As a Columbia senior navigating both college seasons and early ATP events, Michael Zheng wrote from a spring break hotel in Tucson to describe a hectic opening to 2026. He has been juggling flights, practices and team matches while trying to keep up with schoolwork between tournaments.

Indian Wells was a demanding stop. Zheng described the adjustment to the tournament atmosphere after a busy start to the year that included the Australian Open and his first Masters appearance. He called the opportunity to play at Indian Wells a valuable exposure to the level he wants to reach and noted that receiving a wild card is something he will not complain about.

Zheng faced Vit Kopriva in the first round. Kopriva, 28 and outside the top 50, pushed the match to 7-6 (5), 7-5 in nearly two hours. “It was close to two hours for two sets, and it was very back and forth. He was up in both sets, and I got it back,” Zheng recounted. He said Kopriva was striking his backhand well and that a few loose points, particularly in the tiebreak, decided the outcome. Zheng took confidence from the performance against a player near the top 60 and from the manner in which both players left the court.

Off court the reception felt different after Australia. “The more you win, the more you’re accepted.” He has found opponents in college treating Columbia matches as chances to play without pressure, which Zheng sees as a challenge that will aid his development.

Zheng also wrote about winning the Hurd Award, presented by the UTR Foundation and the Hurd family to assist college players transitioning to the pros. The $100,000 award will help him begin his professional career; retaining his Australian Open prize money was another boost as he prepares to leave college eligibility after 2026.