Stefanos Tsitsipas, an early adopter of tour vlogging, says the recent surge of player-made video content is a positive development for professional tennis. The 27-year-old became known for carrying a camera on the road and creating travel vlogs that documented his early years on tour.

“I’m actually quite happy that other players have started doing those (vlogs), because I think it only brings value towards our sport,” Tsitsipas said in Miami. He expressed surprise at how long it took other top players to embrace the medium. “The one thing I’m just surprised about, it’s how late it took them to get into it! I feel like when I started out, it was already more popular—early 2015 to 2018, that was the era—and it’s taken them almost a decade to get into it. So I’m actually really surprised, but it’s great.”

The wave of content creators now includes Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Venus Williams, Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud, Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils and others who have launched vlogs or mini-docuseries to show life on and off the court. Productions range from glossy, sponsor-backed projects to independent efforts.

Daria Kasatkina’s What The Vlog, edited and produced by her and fiancée Natalia Zabiiako, chronicles the less glamorous side of life on the WTA Tour and features a range of player cameos. Former ATP Top 50 player Federico Coria runs a channel popular with South American fans, vlogging at ATP and Challenger events and sharing interviews and commentary. Other channels track different paths to the pro ranks: Karue Sell follows his late start at age 30, while Gladiators Tribe documents the search for first ATP points.

Tsitsipas has scaled back his own channel but still posts occasional travel videos, including footage from an offseason trip to Namibia. “I’ve seen some of Ben Shelton’s stuff, it’s amazing,” he said. “I think this is the type of content that we want to see—especially coming from a fellow tennis player. Same with Casper Ruud, he’s actually posting a lot of insightful and interesting things on his channel. These are the types of things that are important for our sport.”

In Miami, Tsitsipas advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Arthur Fery, his first win since Doha in February, where he reached the quarterfinals.

The world No. 1 drew attention off court at Media Day during the Miami Open by appearing in a Brazilian national team jersey the day before a scheduled match with Joao Fonseca on the main court at Hard Rock Stadium. The choice of kit prompted a lively reaction on Brazilian social media, with many fans enjoying the crossover between the tennis star and Brazil’s football culture.

Alcaraz has worn football shirts at tennis venues before. Last year he supported his hometown team from the practice courts at Roland Garros in a Murcia shirt during his title run. He also added a classic yellow and green Brazil jersey, signed by national team legend Ronaldo, to his collection last December after facing Fonseca at an exhibition event at LoanDepot Park.

On Thursday he was seen in Brazil’s newly unveiled dark blue and yellow away shirt, one of the most talked-about designs ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The shirt is the first by Nike’s Jordan label to appear at a World Cup and will be used during the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States, including at Hard Rock Stadium in June.

Fans had already spotted the dark blue and black design in a post–Indian Wells photo dump that included a snap of Alcaraz getting a tattoo on his leg by his favorite Los Angeles–based artist, Ganga.

Because Fonseca had not yet taken the court against Fabian Marozsan while Alcaraz was making media rounds, the outfit was unlikely to be aimed directly at his next opponent. After his win over Marozsan, the 19-year-old from Rio de Janeiro was asked if he had seen Alcaraz’s kit and responded with a smile. “Just before my match, he entered the locker room with the Brazilian shirt. And I said, ‘Wait, good shirt,’” he grinned. “It’s fun, he’s a nice guy.”

Their potential second-round meeting had been highlighted when the draw was made as a first meeting between two young stars at contrasting points in their careers. “Last year we could see all the supporters that he has, it’s amazing,” Alcaraz told journalists. “I’m looking forward to playing him.”

Before Friday’s play at the Miami Open, three matches stand out for their intrigue and potential impact on the draw.

Amanda Anisimova vs Ajla Tomljanovic opens on Grandstand, where height won’t be a factor—both are listed at 5’11—but rankings contrast sharply. Anisimova arrives as No. 6, Tomljanovic at No. 81. Tomljanovic holds a 2-0 advantage in their head-to-head; the meetings came in Waco in 2017, when Anisimova was 16, and in San Jose in 2021, when Tomljanovic was climbing to a career-high 32. Recent form suggests the gap may be narrower than the rankings imply. Tomljanovic has won two matches in each of her last two events and pushed Jasmine Paolini to three sets in Indian Wells. Anisimova, after a brilliant 2025, was beaten with surprising ease by Victoria Mboko last week. Anisimova remains the cleaner ball-striker and more powerful hitter, but Tomljanovic already has a Miami victory and could be poised for a signature win. Winner: Tomljanovic

Naomi Osaka meets the Australian qualifier in the third show court, Butch Buchholz Arena. The Australian, 21, earned momentum in Indian Wells by winning two qualifying matches and then beating three Top 20 opponents—Alexandrova, Tauson, and Paolini—to reach the quarterfinals. In Miami she won two more qualifying matches and then defeated Sara Bejlek 1 and 0 in the first round. Osaka has strong ties to this part of Florida and boasts a 17-8 Miami record that includes a final-round appearance in 2022. She reached two wins in Indian Wells before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. Their styles should produce baseline action: both are tall, hit hard and flat, and attack the corners. Osaka’s forehand is a major weapon; Gibson’s two-handed backhand is a noted strength. Gibson brings momentum; Osaka brings experience. Winner: Osaka

Carlos Alcaraz vs Joao Fonseca is the highlight. Fonseca first saw Alcaraz in December at the Miami Invitational exhibition in this city. Fonseca, who began rising early last year, plays with a full-throttle forehand and in Indian Wells pushed Jannik Sinner to two tiebreaks after recovering from injury setbacks in 2025. Alcaraz will be the solid favorite, but how their pace and shot-making match up remains unknown. Last year here, Alcaraz lost his opener to David Goffin.