The alternative road to Miami...
Why the Arizona Tennis Classic and Cap Cana Open provide a vital pathway to the 5th Slam.
Indian Wells and the Miami Open as the celebrated ATP and WTA 1000 events that make up the Sunshine Swing, dominate the top tier calendar in March taking up most of the month. This is great for tennis fans but more challenging for players who make early exits from Indian Wells and want to remain in with a chance at Miami. This is where two lesser-known heroes of the professional tour step in. The Arizona Tennis Classic (10-16 March) and the Cap Cana Open (10-16 March) as part of the Challenger Tour, can be played during this window where top tier ATP and WTA events have no more room in the calendar. These 175 category events provide vital court hours for players on the development pathway to gain valuable match practice before Miami.
Recreating the Miami Open conditions
Phoenix, US and Cap Cana, DR have been purposely chosen as the destinations for these Challenger tournaments for their warm climates which help players acclimatize to the weather they will experience in Miami. As Laykold’s court expert and former pro and coach, Luke Burden explains:
“The goal is to replicate Miami’s environment as closely as possible, providing an optimal preparation ground for players striving to qualify and prepare for the finale of the Sunshine Swing. The Cap Cana Open has even adopted the signature Laykold blue colors of the Miami Open to reinforce the connection and familiarity for the players.”
Customized court consistency
While the weather may be similar in each venue, other conditions vary and the court plays an important role in mitigating these environmental factors. Luke continues:
“While Cap Cana and Miami share coastal humidity, the Dominican Republic venue tends to be windier. This is where controlling the court pace becomes even more crucial as it allows for better ball control and provides one less variable for players to contend with.”
“Our partnership with the Miami Open is the longest-standing court partnership in tennis. This gives us an unrivalled knowledge of the tournament which together with our R&D and installation experience means we are uniquely placed to recreate the Miami court experience in these springboard tournaments - mitigating against atmospheric moisture and dialing in pace consistency.”
Watch out for the wild cards
Given their strategic placement in the calendar, these Challenger tournaments provide wild cards for top players who want more match play before Miami. This makes them a great spectacle for fans. Matteo Berrettini played at the Arizona Tennis Classic the same year he made the US Open semi-finals (2019) and the 2025 editions promise more world-class play.
“Our partnership with the Miami Open is the longest-standing court partnership in tennis. This gives us an unrivalled knowledge of the tournament which together with our R&D and installation experience means we are uniquely placed to recreate the Miami court experience in these springboard tournaments.”
Tomorrow’s tennis legends
João Fonseca (BRA), the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion, is among the players set to compete in Phoenix this month. The 18-year-old recently won his first ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires and started his 2025 season with a victory at the Canberra Challenger. He is one of the sports fastest-rising talents and joins an elite group, including Lleyton Hewitt (AUS), Carlos Alcaraz (ESP), and Kei Nishikori (JPN), as one of the youngest players to win both an ATP Tour and Challenger title in the same season.
Jakub Mensik (CZE), 19, is one of the top contenders listed to compete in the Dominican Republic. Ranked a career-high No. 45, Mensik has a 5-3 record against Top 10 players in the past year and was the youngest finalist in Doha’s tournament history.
Springboard Challenger events hold a key place in Laykold’s non-stop run of tennis events
These Challenger 175 events not only provide crucial opportunities for rising players but also maintain the integrity of competition by offering world-class court surfaces tailored to each tournament’s conditions. Laykold courts are meticulously adapted to meet the specific demands of each tournament, which is a game changer for the competitors who need to focus on their play, not the external conditions.
While the Arizona Tennis Classic and Cap Cana Open may not be the best-known tournaments on the circuit, their importance in the road to Miami and as tournaments in their own right should not be understated. They are key additions to Laykold’s non-stop run of tennis events in 2025 from Abu Dhabi to the Sunshine Swing as part of a commitments to bring a new level of surface consistency, and therefore elevated play, to the sport.
The Cap Cana Open and Arizona Tennis classic are underway this week.
Miami Open takes place March 16th – 30th, 2025 at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.