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The event is part of the Tennis Masters Series on the men's tour and is a Tier 1 event on the women's tour. The tournament is played on Hard Court s. EVENT CHARACTERISTICS Besides the four Grand Slam championships, the Miami Masters one of the few events on the Association Of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tours where the main singles draw (for both the men and the women) involves more than 64 players, and where main draw play extends beyond one week. 96 men and 96 women compete in the singles competition, and 32 teams compete in each of the doubles competitions. The event lasts for 12 days. Given its size, history, and the fact that it is a combined event involving both men and women, some people consider the Miami Masters to be the sixth most prestigious event on the ATP and WTA tours – after the four Grand Slams and year-end tour championships (the Tennis Masters Cup for men and the WTA Tour Championships for women). In 2006 , the tournament became the first event in the United States to utilize Instant Replay to allow players to challenge close line calls. Players will be allowed two challenges per set, with an additional challenge allowed for Tiebreaks . HISTORY The tournament was founded by former player Butch Buchholz . His original aim was to make the event the first major tournament of the year (the Australian Open was held in December at that time), and he dubbed it the "Winter Wimbledon ". Buchholz approached the ATP and the WTA and offered to provide the prize-money and give them a percentage of the ticket sales and worldwide television rights in return for the right to run the tournament for 15 years. The two associations agreed. The first tournament was be held in February 1985 at Laver's International Tennis Resort at Delray Beach , Florida. Buchholz brought in Alan Mills , the tournament referee at Wimbledon, as the head referee; and Ted Tinling , a well-known tennis fashion designer since the 1920s , as the director of protocol. The prize money of US$1.8 million was surpassed only by Wimbledon and the US Open at the time. (The event's prize-money has since grown to over US$6 million.) In 1986 , the tournament relocated to Boca Raton . It moved to its permanent home at Key Biscayne in 1987 . The event is currently held in March each year. The event was initially known as the Lipton International Players Championships. In 2000 there was a change of title sponsor and the event was renamed the '''Ericsson Open'''. Since 2002 it has been officially titled the '''NASDAQ-100 Open'''. PAST RESULTS Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Doubles champions A mixed doubles competition was also held at the inaugural tournament in 1985, and was won by Heinz Gunthardt & Martina Navratilova . EXTERNAL LINKS |
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