Nadal And Federer Could Meet Again At 2018 Miami Open

MIAMI, FL — Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are both expected to play in the 2018 Miami Open Tennis Tournament, perhaps setting up a reprise of last year's heart-pounding final in what will be the tournament's last year in its idyllic Key Biscayne setting. The Miami Open takes place between March 19 and April 1 at Crandon Park. Federer took home the men's trophy last year with a 6-3, 6-4 win over the Spaniard.

Both Federer and Nadal appeared on the 2018 list of players released by tournament officials on Wednesday along with South Florida's own, Serena Williams, who will be back at the event after giving birth to daughter Alexis Ohanian, Jr. in September.

Williams, who holds a record eight Miami Open singles titles, was granted a wildcard into the 2018 tournament.

Tournament spokesman Sam Henderson told Patch that the Miami Open acceptance lists were based on player rankings with 76 direct entries on the women's side and 79 on the men's side based on differing rules from the men's ATP and women's WTA sanctioning bodies.

"Those who are not able to get in automatically would need to go through qualifying or be issued a wildcard by the tournament," according to Henderson. "The tournament has eight WTA wildcards and 5 ATP wildcards."

Henderson said that the acceptance lists include 78 of the top 79 ranked men and 75 of the top 76 ranked women.

Tickets to the 2018 Miami Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or online at www.miamiopen.com.

Individual session tickets start at $35 and packages begin at only $136.

Qualifying rounds will be March 19-20 and will determine 12 additional slots in each singles draw. The Miami Open will also award wildcards to five men and eight women. The women’s main draw begins on Tuesday, March 20, followed by the first round of the men’s main draw on Wednesday, March 21.

Tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal met in the 2017 men's final at the Miami Open and could reprise their heart-pounding final again in 2018. Photos courtesy Miami Open Tennis Tournament.