With its white-sand beaches, luxury hotels, world-renowned restaurants, and spicy nightlife, Miami has been a playground for the hip and beautiful, and every year, for two weeks, it plays host to the world’s best tennis players.
While glamorous South Beach is home to some of the best clubs in the city, it is at least a 30 minute drive from Key Biscayne, where the tournament is played, and 15 minutes from Brickell Avenue, home to Miami’s financial district and the player hotels.
No worries as the tournament provided transport to its annual player party, held this year at hip celebrity hotspot, Opera.
Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova were among the big names on the red carpet at the Official Sony Ericsson Open Kickoff Party.
Fashionista Sharapova, whose is known for an eclectic Hollywood style (her stylist is fashion guru to the stars, Rachel Zoe), came out in a black miniskirt and an 80s-inspired white floral print t-shirt, a departure from the Missoni dress she wore last year or the J Mendel frock she wore the year before. Alongside her was her friend, actress Camille Belle, who has previously shared the red carpet spotlight with Sharapova. The two attended the ESPY Awards together last summer and were also photographed at a basketball game in Los Angeles last week following Sharapova’s quarterfinal loss in Indian Wells. Sharapova, who is represented by IMG, is in town to promote the event despite not being able to compete.
Rafael Nadal, Venus and Serena Williams, Daniela Hantuchova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and James Blake also made appearances, as did celebrity guests.
Roger Federer was conspicuously absent and keeping a low profile, but not to worry, Novak Djokovic, who relished the spotlight, was on hand with a new spiky ’do.
Nicole Vaidisova also hit the red carpet, but solo, with no signs of rumored beau Radek Stepanek, who incidentally attended the event last year with his then-fiancé Martina Hingis.
Meanwhile, former WTA star and Miami resident Anna Kournikova made a splash at the event, making a rare tennis-related appearance.
But it was Jelena Jankovic who stole the show in a purple-sequined dress that was most likely intended for Monica Seles’ gig on “Dancing with the Stars.” The glittery and over-the-top ensemble, typical of Jankovic’s style, was matched only by the purple crystal-encrusted high-heeled sandals, and the Sony Ericsson phone of the same color she was plugging. Even at a party, the woman just keeps on working.