Jakub Mensik, Miami champion, was going to pull out of the tournament an hour before his first match

After receiving main draw wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open earlier this month, the Miami Open announced Thursday that the pair of former world No. 1s are among their initial list of main draw recipients.

Emma Raducanu and Kei Nishikori were also awarded spots.

Williams has won the Miami Open three times in her career. Now 43 and ranked No. 484, the seven-time major champion is due to make her season debut at Indian Wells next week.

Venus last appeared on tour at the 2023 US Open in a 6-1, 6-1 first-round defeat to Greet Minnen.

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Wozniacki, who finished runner-up in 2017, continues her first full season back since stepping out of retirement in August 2023 after three-and-a-half years away from the sport. The 2018 Australian Open title holder has dropped three of her four matches to start her 2024 campaign.

Nishikori is looking to return from injury yet again in a career constantly derailed by setbacks. Last June, following 20 months of being sidelined, the former US Open finalist won the Palmas del Mar Challenger in his first tournament back only to soon be halted by a left-knee issue that ruled him out for the remainder of the year and first two months of this season.

As for Raducanu, she currently sits at No. 252 as she, too, continues her comeback from injuries. The 2021 US Open winner had surgery on both of her wrists and left ankle last year and resumed competing in January at Auckland.

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