41 years of trust. Miami Open chooses Laykold until 2026
1985 – 2026: The longest partnership in tennis
PRESS RELEASE
Miami Open and Laykold Extension
Sunshine, palm trees, and the stars of tennis: The Miami Open Returns and continues its partnership with Laykold through to 2026!
The Miami Open’s long-term partnership with Laykold has been extended through to 2026, serving one of sport’s best double acts since the tournament’s inception in 1985. The deal marks the longest partnership (41 years) between a tournament and surface provider.
Held in iconic and evocative Florida locations such as Delray Beach, Boca West and Key Biscayne in the past, the Miami Open moved to Hard Rock Stadium (home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins) in Miami Gardens in 2019, after 31 years at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne.
“We’re excited to have Laykold, the best sports court surface in the business, helping us from the ground up for another five years”
“Laykold has been trusted in the tennis court industry for 75 years, so we’re delighted and proud to continue our partnership with the Miami Open, providing the surface of one of the world’s best tournaments for another five years and extending our relationship to 41 years in 2026,” stated Jim Sacco, Chief Operating Officer of Advanced Polymer Technology (APT).
Josh Ripple, Senior Vice-President of IMG, added “When we moved to Hard Rock Stadium, we knew we needed to find some innovative solutions with regards to court construction and surfacing. Laykold rose to those challenges, meeting our needs for on-court ball visibility requirements for television broadcasts, pace rating consistency and precision, and transforming areas that were once parking lots into court surfaces within tight deadlines. We’re excited to have Laykold, the best sports court surface in the business, helping us from the ground up for another five years.”
With the 2020 event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2021 played with limited fan attendance, 2022’s players and fans alike are ready to re-set.
Sunshine and palm trees still feature, not to mention Laykold’s signature shades of Biscayne blue and Oasis blue for the courts themselves. These colors capture the sea, the sky and the sizzle of tennis, and set the stage for the headliners to showcase their talent.
A part of the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tours, the prestigious tournament (long regarded as the 5th Slam, with its significant prize purse and draw of 96 men and women for the singles’ competitions) attracts passionate crowds in the thousands and tennis’s best players.
Hard Rock’s centre court, the ‘stadium within a stadium’, seats 13,800, and the complex itself boasts 27 permanent outside courts and the 5000-seat Grandstand court.
Six-time men’s winners Novak Djokovic (SRB) and Andre Agassi (USA) are the undisputed kings of the tournament, while living legend Serena Williams (USA) has won the women’s tournament (under its various guises) an astounding eight times. The reigning singles’ champions are Hubert Hurkacz (POL) and Ashleigh Barty (AUS).
The Miami Open will take place from March 21 to April 3, 2022. See www.miamiopen.com for more details.