5 WTA greats who never won the Miami Open: ft Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati
The Miami Open has been one of the WTA Tour’s biggest titles ever since its inaugural edition in 1985, with several all-time greats claiming the title.
Countless tennis legends have triumphed at the tournament but there are a few surprising names among those who have missed out on victory.
Here, we look at five of the greatest stars who never lifted the Miami Open women’s singles title.
Maria Sharapova
Best Result: RU 2005-06, 2011-13
Sharapova won all four Grand Slam titles, the WTA Finals, and 14 WTA 1000 titles – but somehow never quite triumphed in Miami.
The former world No 1 was a five-time finalist at the tournament but lost on every occasion, starting with a 6-3, 7-5 loss to fellow great Kim Clijsters back in 2005.
That was followed by a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2006, and she then lost three consecutive finals from 2011 to 2013.
Sharapova was beaten 6-1, 6-4 by Victoria Azarenka in 2011 and 7-5, 6-4 by Agnieszka Radwanska in 2012, before losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 to Serena Williams in 2013.
She was also a semi-finalist in 2014, once again losing to Williams.
Jennifer Capriati
Best Result: RU 2001-03
Much like fellow former No 1 Sharapova, Capriati reached multiple Miami Open finals but was never quite able to get her hands on the title.
The US star lost her first final in 2001, being edged out 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) in a thrilling championship match by compatriot Venus Williams.
Capriati was then beaten 7-5, 7-6(4) by Serena in the 2002 final, before losing in the final for a third straight year following a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 loss to the 23-time Grand Slam champion in 2003.
The American was also a semi-finalist as a 15-year-old back in 1992, falling to eventual champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in straight sets.
Lindsay Davenport
Best Result: RU 2000
Davenport was one of the most successful players of her era with 55 WTA titles to her name, including three Grand Slam titles and 11 WTA 1000 titles.
However, despite huge success elsewhere in the US, the former world No 1 never triumphed at the Miami Open.
Davenport reached her sole final at the tournament back in 2000, though was beaten 6-3, 6-2 by top seed and long-time rival Martina Hingis in the final.
The American had previously been a semi-finalist in 1994 and 1996, losing to Steffi Graf on both occasions – while also progressing to a further three quarter-finals.
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Justine Henin
Best Result: RU 2007
One of the greatest players of the 21st century, seven-time Grand Slam champion Henin won a staggering 43 WTA titles across her career.
But, while she won 10 WTA 1000 titles in total, the Miami Open may be one that got away from the Belgian great.
Henin reached the final in 2007 and led key rival Serena 6-0, 5-4, 40-15 – only to miss both those championship point chances and ultimately lose 0-6, 7-5, 6-3.
She was also beaten in a thrilling three-set semi-final by compatriot Clijsters in 2010, alongside reaching a further three quarter-finals.
Simona Halep
Best Result: SF 2015, 2019
The winner of two Grand Slam titles and an impressive nine WTA 1000 titles, former world No 1 Halep might be one of the greatest players to never make the Miami Open final.
It certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying that the Romanian never made the final, with two tough semi-final defeats to her name.
Halep was beaten 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 by Serena in a thrilling three-set clash back in 2015, and then fell 7-5, 6-1 to fellow former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova in 2019.
The Romanian also reached further quarter-finals in 2015 and 2016.
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