Island to inland

Miami Open wraps up on Key Biscayne; Hard Rock Stadium is new venue

It’s been known as the Lipton, the NASDAQ-100, the Sony, the Sony Ericsson and most recently by a name that defines its picturesque location — the Miami Open.

This weekend, for the last time, one of the world’s premier tennis tournaments will showcase its champions on Key Biscayne before moving inland to Hard Rock Stadium next year.

For a few more days, South Florida tennis fans will have the chance to breathe in the ocean air while watching some of the best players in the world battle it out.

There will be palm trees and warm breezes; views of the Miami skyline and

dazzling sunsets. And there will be traffic. Lots and lots of traffic as thousands descend on a 4-mile-long, 2-mile-wide island connected to the mainland by the Rickenbacker Causeway.

During its 32-year run at the Crandon Park Tennis Center, the Miami Open has hosted some of the biggest names in tennis, including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Andy Roddick and Fort Lauderdale’s Chris Evert.

More recently, stars such as Venus and Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have dominated on the site’s distinctive purple courts.

There have been thrilling matches, stunning upsets, an iguana disrupting play and other memorable moments, like Serena Williams once biking to a match to avoid that insufferable island traffic.

Now, there’s just one weekend left on Key Biscayne and there is hope for one more unique South Florida story, as Plantation native Sloane Stephens is set to play in her first Miami Open final today. The men’s final is set for Sunday.

After that, a new era of South Florida tennis will begin.

GETTY IMAGES/FILE Fans of Venus Williams spelled out their support at the 2010 final against Kim Clijsters, who took the crown that year.

GETTY IMAGES/FILE Fans of Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro wave flags at a 2009 semifinal against Great Britain’s Andy Murray at what was then the Sony Ericsson Open. Serena Williams signed autographs for fans in 2004, when the tournament was known as the NASDAQ-100...

GETTY IMAGES/FILE

GETTY IMAGES/FILE Andy Roddick beat Tomas Berdych in the 2010 men’s final on the Crandon Park Tennis Center’s distinctive purple courts.