Follow us on Google Discover Anyone who watched the Miami Open in 2025 will no doubt remember one thing that affected the event…
Czech youngster Jakub Mensik won his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open earlier this year, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final.
Mensik and Djokovic were made to wait to play the final, as rain delayed proceedings in Miami.
Photo by Brennan Asplen/Getty Images
The weather caused delays throughout the tournament as several matches were pushed back, leaving players and fans frustrated.
Weighing in with his thoughts on the Masters 1000 events, a former Davis Cup winner has suggested what should be changed from 2026 onwards.
Paolo Bertolucci says indoor options should be ‘mandatory’ at Masters 1000s
Writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, 1976 Davis Cup winner Paolo Bertolucci shared his thoughts on the issues surrounding the busy tennis calendar.
“Tennis already suffers from the handicap of unclear schedules, often weather-dependent events, ridiculous restroom breaks, and often unjustified medical timeouts,” said Bertolucci.
“No other reasons are needed to interrupt play. Instead, let’s try to resolve the problem as quickly as possible, finding the right compromise between all the components that govern world tennis.
“We’re talking about a sport that isn’t soccer; there are no multi-year contracts, but many players don’t earn a living if they miss a match, and are therefore forced to play as much as possible while their bodies can’t.”
Bertolucci then shared what he believes should be changed at the Masters 1000 events in the future.
Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“What can be changed must be changed: in the future, the Masters 1000 tournaments should have a mandatory indoor court, thus eliminating constant interruptions or cancelled matches,” he said.
“The Grand Slams could certainly contribute to the costs of smaller events, which can no longer sustain themselves without sponsors.”
Just one of the nine Masters 1000 events is played indoors, while several of the outdoor events don’t have a roof.
Masters 1000 events
There are plans for several tournaments to introduce roofs in the future, including the Italian Open, which is expected to have a working retractable roof next year.
As the climate changes, rain is only going to become more of an issue, so it may be wise for the powers that be to consider making roofs mandatory for the Masters 1000 events.
What did Novak Djokovic say about the rain delay at the 2025 Miami Open?
After being made to wait five-and-a-half hours to play the Miami Open final due to the rain delay, Djokovic had this to say during his post-match press conference.
Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
“I don’t want to get into details, but just it is what it is. You know, it’s the same for both players. You have to accept the circumstances,” he said.
“I tried to make the most out of what I had or what I was facing, but yeah, it was quite different from any other day of the tournament for me.”
When they eventually did make their way onto the court, Mensik secured the biggest win of his career, defeating the legendary Serb in straight sets, 7-6, 7-6.
Djokovic missed out on a chance to win his 100th title that day, but reached the landmark a few months later in Geneva.
His wait for a 41st Masters 1000 title is ongoing, however, as he hasn’t won a title at the level since 2023 (Cincinnati Open).
Djokovic is in with a good chance of ending that drought at the 2025 Shanghai Masters, as the highest-ranked player remaining in the competition.
Players left at the 2025 Shanghai Masters
Only time will tell if Djokovic can emerge victorious in China, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Djokovic will return to take on Zizou Bergs in the quarterfinals on Thursday, October 9.