The Miami Open had barely laid out its courts when the draw began to unravel.
On Monday evening, with the Florida sunshine yet to greet a single rally, a sudden cluster of withdrawals swept through the women’s field. Emma Raducanu’s absence had already raised eyebrows; within hours, it turned into something closer to a trend.
Five more names quietly slipped off the entry list, leaving organisers scrambling and the draw looking rather different to the one unveiled just days earlier.
Raducanu’s momentum halted again
Raducanu’s withdrawal, confirmed on Monday, was attributed to lingering effects of a viral illness picked up during her Middle East swing. It is another frustrating interruption for the 2021 US Open champion, who had shown signs of traction in Indian Wells by reaching the third round.
More significantly, she now forfeits the quarter-final points she earned in Miami last year. That loss will sting. With the clay season looming, Raducanu finds herself in the less comfortable position of defending ranking ground rather than gaining it.
Her decision to enter Linz ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup offers a clear hint of priorities: this is a ranking rebuild, not a leisurely return.
There had been intrigue, too. The draw teased a potential second-round meeting with fellow Briton Sonay Kartal — a narrative that now dissolves before it ever had the chance to begin.
Injuries and absences mount
Kartal herself will not feature either. The Briton, who retired late in her Indian Wells defeat to Elena Rybakina with what appeared to be a groin issue, has since cited a lower back injury as the decisive factor.
Her absence reshuffles the section entirely. Peyton Stearns now opens against a qualifier, with a possible meeting against Jaqueline Cristian — newly seeded at No. 34 — awaiting, rather than a clash with Raducanu.
Maya Joint quickly followed Kartal out of the draw, also pointing to back problems. Her Indian Wells campaign ended early — coincidentally against Cristian — and she will not attempt to push through the discomfort in Miami.
Emma Navarro’s withdrawal is more opaque. No official reason has been provided, though her season hardly suggests a player in full command of her form. Now ranked No. 27, the American has struggled to string together wins and quietly exited the Sunshine Double altogether.
Navarro searching for answers
Navarro’s next stop is expected to be Charleston — a tournament run by her father, Ben Navarro — where she will attempt to rediscover some rhythm before the clay swing gathers pace.
Her recent detour to the WTA 125 event in Austin offered little encouragement. She exited in the first round, while the title went unexpectedly to Lala Tararudee, who navigated a formidable path that included Bianca Andreescu.
For Navarro, the concern is no longer isolated results but a broader drift — a season yet to ignite.
Others missing, others pressing on
Elsewhere, Oleksandra Oliynykova remains an intriguing absentee. After a strong start to the year, including a final in Antalya, she has since stepped away from competition entirely, skipping both Indian Wells and Miami.
Her comeback, it seems, is not imminent.
And yet, amid the withdrawals, some anticipated absences have not materialised. Coco Gauff, whose participation had been the subject of speculation, is set to compete. Others have held their ground as well, providing at least some stability to a draw that has otherwise taken on a patchwork feel.
Still, the list of pre-tournament withdrawals — including Marketa Vondrousova, Barbora Krejcikova and Lois Boisson — continues to grow.
For an event that prides itself on depth and glamour, Miami finds itself, before a ball has been struck, telling a different story: one of attrition, adaptation, and opportunity for those left standing.