Andy Murray’s double & a career-best trophy for Johanna Konta – a look back at British success at the Miami Open
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Next week sees the start of the second half of the sunshine swing, as the world’s best players go from West to East coast for the Miami Open presented by Itaú.
The ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments at the Miami Gardens in Florida hold a special place in the heart of British tennis fans. It’s the only top tour-level event that has had a British men’s and women’s singles champion – Andy Murray (2009 and 2013) and Johanna Konta (2017).
Ahead of this this year’s event and the six British contenders hoping to challenge for the title in 2024 – we look back at Murray and Konta’s landmark victories.
2009: Murray crowned first British champion in Miami
In 2009, a 21-year-old Murray made history in becoming the first British player to win a singles title at the Miami Open.
By this point in his career, Murray had already cemented himself at the top of the game and came into the tournament boasting an impressive 10 ATP titles (including two ATP Masters) and having reached his first Grand Slam final in New York only a year before.
Murray’s impressive run saw him knock out eighth seed Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2 in the quarter-finals, before defeating Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in the semis to set up a championship showdown with familiar rival Novak Djokovic.
In the seventh meeting between the two, Murray clinched his third consecutive win against the Serbian 6-2, 7-5 in the final.
Having lifted his third Masters title, Murray was asked if it was satisfying to him to become the first Brit to win in Miami, to which he replied: “No, not really. It's not about Britain all the time for me, it's about wanting to win the biggest titles in the world." The mindset of a champion…
2013: US Open & Olympic champion bags second Miami Open trophy
Four years is a long time in tennis and Murray’s career only went on from strength to strength.
In the time between his two Miami Open titles, the British star had won his first Grand Slam at the US Open, become an Olympic gold medallist at the 2012 London Games, sealed 25 ATP titles and reached finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
After a runner-up finish at the Miami Open only a year before in 2012, Murray came into the tournament with a point to prove and his focus fixated on winning the title.
Having won his opening three matches without dropping a set, victories against Marin Cilic and Richard Gasquet in the quarters and semis set up his third Miami final.
Facing third seed David Ferrer, Murray came back from a set down and saved match point to clinch the trophy in a dominant final set tie-break – beating the Spaniard 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(1).
Murray would go on to make the final again in 2015 but ended as runner-up for a second time to Djokovic.
2017: Konta seals biggest title of her career
The 2017 Miami Open was a milestone moment in the career of former British No.1 Konta.
The 25-year-old became the first British woman ever to win the tournament, which took her to a then career-high ranking of world No.7.
Konta entered the tournament as the 10th seed and kicked off her campaign with victories against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Pauline Parmentier and Lara Arruabarrena Vecino to reach the quarter-finals.
In the final eight, Konta faced future Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Simona Halep in one of the matches of the tournament.
Halep had the chance to serve out the match leading by a set and 5-4, but Konta found a way to turn the match on its head. After edging the eventual tie-break 9-7, she closed out an impressive 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 victory.
The match ups only got tougher as she went on, but each time Konta rose to the challenge. She defeated seven-time Grand Slam single champion Venus Williams in the semi-final 6-4, 7-5, before closing out an historic title against former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3.
The Miami Open was one of four titles Konta won in her career – adding to her trophies in Stanford, Sydney and later in 2021, Nottingham.
The Miami Open 2024 gets underway from 17-31 March.
