Miami, March 18 (NationPress) The Miami Open commenced on a soggy note, with the start times for Wednesday's initial matches being delayed due to rain.

Among the competitors at this ATP Masters 1000 event is Grigor Dimitrov, a former world No. 3, who is set to face Raphael Collignon in his first match, scheduled as the second match on the Grandstand.

Matches on the Grandstand, Buch Buchholz, and Court 1 are now slated to start no earlier than 1 p.m. EDT.

This prestigious tournament holds significant importance as both World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz from Spain and second seed Jannik Sinner of Italy are competing, continuing their struggle for the top ranking. This event could be pivotal for both players, as they have the opportunity to earn substantial ranking points.

Currently, Alcaraz leads Sinner by approximately 2000 points in the ATP Rankings, although Sinner has narrowed the gap after winning the BNP Paribas Open title. His victory at this event granted him 1,000 points, reducing Alcaraz’s pre-Indian Wells lead from 2,800 to 2,150 points.

The spotlight now shifts to the Miami Open, where Sinner aims to continue building momentum. He did not participate in Florida in 2025, meaning he has no points to defend this fortnight, and every match he wins in Miami will directly contribute to his ranking.

Alcaraz also has minimal points at stake, needing to defend just 10 points due to a surprising first-round loss to David Goffin last year. The World No. 1 is eager to rebound after Daniil Medvedev halted his flawless start to the 2026 season in the Indian Wells semi-finals.

Miami holds additional significance for Alcaraz, as he became the youngest champion in the tournament's history in 2022 at just 18 years of age. This event provides him with an excellent opportunity to widen his lead before the Tour transitions to clay, where the 22-year-old faces a challenging stretch.

As the top seed, Alcaraz is positioned in the top half of the draw and will commence his campaign on Friday evening against either Joao Fonseca or Fabian Marozsan, who are set to compete on Thursday. Alcaraz has never faced the 19-year-old Brazilian Fonseca, who previously lost to Jannik Sinner in the fourth round at Indian Wells.

Meanwhile, second seed Sinner will begin his journey on Saturday against Damir Dzumhur or qualifier Ignacio Buse. The 24-year-old boasts a 19-3 record in Miami, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, having reached the finals in three of his four appearances and winning the title in 2024, as reported by the ATP Tour website.

Last week at Indian Wells, Sinner made history by becoming the third and youngest player to win all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court events, joining the ranks of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Miami is a critical stop for both players as Alcaraz needs to defend 4,300 points throughout the clay swing, which includes titles from Monte-Carlo, Rome, and Roland Garros, alongside a runner-up finish in Barcelona. In contrast, Sinner has no points to defend until Rome and then has 1,850 points at stake across the Italian Masters 1000 event and Roland Garros, giving him a window to mitigate Alcaraz’s lead in the upcoming weeks.

Nevertheless, the Italian aims to apply immediate pressure in Miami, where he has reached the finals in three out of four appearances and secured the trophy in 2024.

Both Alcaraz and Sinner are seeded first and second respectively in Miami and can only meet in the finals. Should that matchup occur, it would mark the 17th encounter in their ATP tour rivalry.

If Alcaraz maintains or even expands his lead during the Miami Open, he would create valuable breathing room before entering the most demanding phase of his calendar. Such a scenario would further solidify his hold on the top ranking and allow him to begin accumulating a lead in total weeks at No. 1. Notably, the Spaniard is set to equal Sinner’s 66-week milestone in early April, regardless of the outcomes in Florida.

Sinner, on the other hand, will strive to continue closing the gap on Alcaraz’s lead, aiming to make a more significant impact during Wimbledon and the subsequent hard-court season following the grass-court major.