A first-round match at the 2026 Miami Open between Matteo Arnaldi and Alexander Shevchenko was halted on March 20 due to a lack of artificial lighting on court 4. The suspension occurred at 7-6(5), 5-5 with Shevchenko leading, and the Kazakh player won in three sets the next morning. The incident highlights ongoing infrastructure and weather challenges at the tournament.
The Miami Open has faced multiple disruptions during its 2026 edition. On Friday, March 20, the first-round match on court 4 between Italy's Matteo Arnaldi and Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko stopped abruptly as sunlight faded without artificial lights available. Officials suspended play at 7-6(5), 5-5 in Shevchenko's favor, resuming the next morning where Shevchenko prevailed in three sets before facing eighth seed Ben Shelton later that day in the round of 64. This scheduling forced Shevchenko into two matches in one day, giving Shelton an advantage. A tweet from @USTennisCenter noted the disarray: 'Wow… play suspended for Arnaldi-Shevchenko due to lights. We’re three days into the tournament and this is still first round matches yet to be finished… What a mess the organizers have made in Miami man.'
