From the sun-soaked courts of Tennis Paradise to the electric stage of Hard Rock Stadium, the elite of the WTA battle for 1000 ranking points and a $1,151,380 prize at the Miami Open. Coco Gauff also steps in as the Sunshine Double reaches its thrilling second chapter. Yet before the hometown star begins, one question hangs in the air: Who blocks her road in Miami?

Coco Gauff enters the Miami Open as a top-four seed. Because of her seeding, she begins directly in the Round of 64, which is the second round of the event. In her opening match, Gauff will face the winner of the first-round clash between Elisabetta Cocciaretto and a qualifier. It will mark the start of her campaign at her home tournament.

If she advances, Gauff could meet Maya Joint in the Round of 32. That match would determine whether she moves deeper into the draw.

Looking further ahead, she is projected to face Linda Noskova in the next stage. Noskova recently impressed at the BNP Paribas Open, where she reached the semifinals before losing to Aryna Sabalenka.

If the seeds hold, Gauff could face another American star in the quarterfinals. Amanda Anisimova is the No. 6 seed and sits in the same section of the draw.

A potential all-American clash between Gauff and Anisimova would decide a place in the semifinals. It could become one of the most exciting matchups of the tournament.

If Gauff reaches the semifinals, she could meet Iga Swiatek. The Polish star is the No. 2 seed, although both players have struggled to find their best form recently.

Should Gauff make it to the final, she could face either Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed and defending champion, or Elena Rybakina. Rybakina won the first Grand Slam of the season and remains a major contender.

However, questions remain about Gauff’s fitness. During her third-round match against Alexandra Eala at Indian Wells, she suffered a left-arm injury and retired while trailing 6-2, 2-0.

It was only the second mid-match retirement of her professional career. After the match, Gauff explained what happened during the contest.

“I felt it from the second game of the first set,” Gauff said. “It was like a firework going off inside my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire. It was a scary feeling,” Gauff added about her injury. “The good news is doctors don’t think it will be long-term, so I should be fine for Miami.”

Despite the scare, Gauff is expected to compete in Miami. She now hopes to return refreshed and ready for a strong run at her home Masters tournament.

Coco Gauff set to compete at Miami Open after practice appearance

Coco Gauff was scheduled to undergo an MRI on March 9 after experiencing discomfort in her arm. She shared the update on social media and mentioned that some people believed the issue could be nerve-related. For a tennis player, nerve pain in the arm can sound alarming and often raises fears about missing tournaments for recovery.

Because of that concern, fans have been wondering whether Gauff would compete at the Miami Open. The uncertainty around her fitness kept many followers waiting for updates.

However, according to the Miami Open website, Gauff is listed on the tournament’s practice schedule three times for Monday, March 16. Her first session is scheduled on Court 13 at 10 AM. She will then practice again at 11 AM with Janice Tjen on the Stadium Court.

Later in the day, Gauff is set for another session at 2 PM with Tjen on Court 22. Being part of both the draw and the practice schedule strongly suggests that she plans to compete. For now, those signs offer optimism to fans hoping to see her play.

Still, there is always a possibility that things could change. After practicing, she might realize that her arm is not fully ready. In that case, she could still withdraw before the tournament begins.

As one of the top seeds, Gauff has a first-round bye. That means her opening match would likely take place on Thursday, March 19. Last year, she exited the Miami Open in the round of 16 after losing to Magda Linette.

With her name now appearing in the draw despite the growing withdrawal list at the tournament, attention turns to how far she can go. Many fans are wondering whether Gauff can make a deep run in Miami. 

A strong performance would allow her to end the North American swing on a high note before the clay-court season in Europe begins.