The biggest winners out of the 2025 Miami Open

The 2025 Miami Open closed out the first quarter of the hard-court season but left a huge impression of tennis excitement for fans to rally around. Emerging talent made for an excellent tournament, providing hope for the future of tennis.

From historic upsets to comeback stories with heart, there was a lot to celebrate down in Miami.

Raducanu’s return to form

Emma Raducanu stole many hearts when the British player became the first qualifier to win the U.S. Open in 2021 in a thrilling battle between two youthful players (Layla Fernandez being the other). Endorsements flowed in, and she was touted as the next “it girl” in tennis.

A string of disappointments, coach changes and several injuries had many fans wondering if she was going to be just a one-hit wonder. After a tepid version of the Romanian Brit showed up at Indian Wells, tennis spectators were expecting more of the same for the second half of the “Sunshine Double.”

However, the Raducanu who showed up in South Florida was a woman on a mission. She had switched up her team once more—retooling from Indian Wells—with the bold move this time paying dividends at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Open.

What fans got was a laser-focused, aggressive, strategic—and most important of all—confident Raducanu. Her play in Miami was sharp, and her mental resilience was admirable. Raducanu made it to the first quarterfinals in a Masters 1000 series. The freedom she played with on the hard courts of Miami resulted in her moving up 12 spots in the WTA rankings this week.

Although she pulled out of the Billie Jean Cup directly afterward, the 22-year-old has proved once again that she is one of the most exciting players in the women’s draw. Raducanu was relaxed and happy playing Miami, and seems to finally be building the consistency and confidence needed for a sustained return to the top.

Alexandra Eala: a rising tennis star

The 19-year-old tennis player had the daunting task of facing five-time grand slam winner and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in Miami. Alexandra Eala—who graduated from the Rafael Nadal Academy, pictured with Swiatek, in 2023—would go on to lose to American Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.

But the fight she displayed in that match, giving fans a thrilling three-setter, made her an instant fan favorite. She is already the highest ranked Filipina player in WTA history, and the first from her country to beat so many top-five players to reach the tournament semi.

“I think that tennis in the Philippines has so much potential, because even though it’s not as widespread as other sports, I feel that we have a lot of hidden talent, and if we can have the support to back it up and the exposure to back it up, then I think that Philippine tennis can be a big thing,” Eala said, according to Tennis365.

Combined with her raw talent, Eala’s poise and charm cemented her star turn in Miami.

João Fonseca the crowd pleaser

The most exciting match of the tournament was between ATP Next Gen winner João Fonseca and Alex de Minaur. The heavily Brazilian crowd turned out for their compatriot in Miami and cheered on every winner that Fonseca hit de Minaur’s way.

I was actually at the Zizou Bergs/Matteo Berrettini match at the Grandstand for the beginning part of the evening, and you could hear the pro-Fonseca raucous crowd all the way across the stadium campus. It was a thrilling match, with the Brazilian emerging as a favorite on the Tour.

Fonseca is not only a megawatt talent but has a natural facility with the crowd, and his popularity is already proving a boon on the ATP Tour. His matches are sure to draw crowds and become must-see events. He also exudes a charm that belies a maturity beyond his 18 years. His combination of charisma and talent is a fantastic boost for the ATP.

Jakub Mensik delivers the shock of the tournament

If Swiatek’s exit was a surprise, one could turn to Novak Djokovic for consistency. The 24-grand slam champion was going for his seventh Miami Open trophy—and astounding 100th ATP title—but was stopped in his tracks by a complete unknown, Jakub Mensik.

At just 18 years old, the Czech phenom became the second youngest player in the tournament’s history to win the title. Against all odds, Mensik defeated his idol and mentor, Djokovic, in a match that so heavily favored the Serbian, it didn’t seem like to most that the Czech would put up much of a fight.

After hours of a rain delay, however, Mensik came out with an aggressive game plan and displayed not an ounce of fear or being intimidated playing the most titled player at the Miami Open.

To say that no one had money on Mensik at the start of the tournament was putting it mildly. While I was watching Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov during their practice sessions earlier in the week, a very unassuming Mensik casually walked past the spectators, with hardly anyone looking over from Sabalenka and Dimitrov. No one was driving him in a golf cart behind the gates, like the bigger stars on the Tour.

But after Sunday’s final, Mensik is on everyone’s tennis radar.

“I want to be world No. 1 and win all four Grand Slams,” Mensik said prior to the Miami Open, according to Claytenis.com.

The Miami Open was Mensik’s first ATP title, with the 19 year-old breaking into the T25. What a way to establish his manifestation on the scene.

The presence of Raducanu, Eala, Fonseca and Mensik brought fresh energy to the sport and demonstrated that the future of tennis is in youthful compelling, capable hands.