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It has been 20 years since Venus Williams received her dwelling event, and her keep on the 2021 Miami Open was temporary.
Williams was eradicated on the primary day of play on Tuesday by 89th-ranked Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, 6-2, 7-6 (10).
The 40-year-old Williams, ranked 79th, was making her twenty first look within the event, now held 75 minutes from her residence in Palm Seaside Gardens, Florida.
Williams’ most up-to-date title within the occasion got here in 2001, when she beat Jennifer Capriati within the ultimate. She additionally received the 1998 and 1999 titles.
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Crowds had been small for the primary day of play, and can proceed to be. Due to the pandemic, solely 750 followers shall be allowed on the grounds per session, and the 5,000-seat grandstand shall be used for showcase matches.
Seeded gamers have first-round byes, together with No. 1 Ash Barty, who can use the additional time to regulate her physique clock. She arrived in Miami after a 45-hour journey from her native Australia.
“Brisbane-Sydney, Sydney to LA, LA on to Miami is often fairly a simple journey,” Barty stated.
“We had a flight cancellation leaving Australia, and one other flight cancellation after we received to LA. It was fairly a wriggle-around.”
Lacking from the event are Serena Williams and the three gamers who’ve dominated males’s tennis for years — Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
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Djokovic determined in opposition to making the journey from Serbia, and the others cited well being points.
That creates a gap for the 20-somethings on the boys’s aspect who’ve lengthy tried to interrupt by way of in massive tournaments.
“I will not lie — it is a chance,” stated Stefanos Tsitsipas, who’s ranked fifth.
“There are many good guys that are not within the prime 5 that may play good tennis, as properly. I can see them as a risk too.”
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