"Pure stupidity" - Miami Open comes under fire for 'absolutely shocking' new schedule after Novak Djokovic's QF against Sebastian Korda postponed

Fans criticized the Miami Open's new schedule for Thursday, March 27, after they failed to begin Wednesday's quarterfinal match between Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda. The new schedule was similar to Wednesday's, so fans were frustrated at the possibility of a similar mishap.

The last quarterfinal on Wednesday, scheduled between Djokovic and Korda, was postponed to Thursday as it could not begin before 11:00 PM local time. According to the new ATP rules, no match could be played after 11:00 PM, keeping in mind the welfare of players and fans.

Soon after the postponement, the new schedule for Thursday was released, and it caused a stir as it was similar to the failed Wednesday schedule. For Wednesday, the main court was slated to hold five matches, with Djokovic vs. Korda being the last.

Three of the first four matches went into the deciding set, leading to a huge delay. Initially, Thursday's schedule featured four matches, but the unplayed quarterfinal has been shifted to Thursday, making the center court congestion the same as the previous day.

Sharing the news about the new schedule, one X account wrote:

"So the same scheduling timings that flopped today WILL BE REPEATED TOMORROW! Pure stupidity."

One fan labeled the scheduling "corruption," writing:

"It's not stupidity it's corruption. Having so many courts and still choking a single court combining WTA and ATP matches together is peak level corruption. Hope miami open organizers and James Blake are taken to task soon. Enough of this stupidity and disaster spoiling the sport."

"Would love to know who makes these decisions: draws, schedules, wild cards, points etc. Such a mess," another fan wrote.

Here are some more fan reactions slamming the Miami Open's scheduling.

"The dollars driving everything. Absolutely shocking!!!" one fan wrote.

"This is a ridiculous comment. Tickets are sold for afternoon and evening session. Two matches each with time in between for buffer. Majority of time it’s not a problem. Stop feigning outrage and magnifying minor issues," another fan wrote.

"Tennis is not like other sports, there is no way one can predict how long the matches will take. The tournament director needs to do better with scheduling for the welfare of players and fans," yet another fan wrote.

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Miami Open 2025 schedule for Thursday, March 27 ft. Novak Djokovic vs. Sebastian Korda

Sebastian Korda at the Miami Open - Source: Getty

The Miami Open boasts a packed schedule for Thursday, March 27, as three men's quarterfinals and both women's semifinals are set to be played. The first match on the main court will be between Arthur Fils and Jakub Mensik.

Fils played the second match on Wednesday, where he defeated Alexander Zverev. The Frenchman will have to recover quickly to be at his best in the quarterfinal.

Following that, Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini will play the first women's semifinal. The World No. 1 is looking to bounce back from her Indian Wells finals heartbreak with a title, and the Italian could pose a big threat to her plans.

The postponed quarterfinal between Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda is set to take place as the last match of the morning session. However, the match will likely be played into the early hours of the evening.

Kicking off the night session would be the final men's quarterfinal between Taylor Fritz and Matteo Berrettini. The second women's semifinal between fourth seed Jessica Pegula and the underdog story of the event, Alexandra Eala, will end the day for the fans on the center court.