Miami, FL
Raducanu, Venus Williams, Wozniacki receive Miami wild cards
Three Grand Slam champions will add to what’s already a star-studded field at the Miami Open, as Emma Raducanu, Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki have all been awarded wild cards for the tournament.
The trio, announced a wild-card entries on Thursday, joins a field at Hard Rock Stadium that includes all of the world’s current Top 10 — led by World No.1 and 2022 singles champion Iga Swiatek, reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, and 2023 Miami finalist Elena Rybakina.
Williams’ addition makes it four former singles champions in the field — the three-time winner joins Swiatek, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens in the draw — while Wozniacki was a finalist in 2017. The pair of former World No.1s are set to appear at Indian Wells next week as wild cards, also for the first time in five years.
Sidelined since the US Open last summer as a result of a knee injury, Williams recently dubbed competing at Indian Wells for the Sunshine Double as a “big goal” for her 2024 comeback to the Hologic WTA Tour.
Williams last played in Miami in 2021, while Wozniacki last was in the draw in 2019 — the tournament’s first edition at Hard Rock Stadium after a four-decade tenure on the island of Key Biscayne — due to various injuries and a three-year retirement that ended last summer, respectively.
2021 US Open champion Raducanu, meanwhile, will be making just her third appearance in Miami — all of which have come after she became the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam singles title in New York three summers ago. She reached the second round in her 2022 tournament debut.
The remaining wild cards for singles, doubles and qualifying will be announced in the coming weeks. The Miami Open will be played from March 17-31.
Miami, FL
Hundreds of Caribbean flights canceled, leaving travelers stranded at Miami International Airport
Travel disruptions continued Sunday at Miami International Airport after hundreds of flights to and from the Caribbean were canceled, leaving passengers stranded, separated from their luggage, and scrambling to salvage vacation plans.
The Federal Aviation Administration closed airspace in and around Venezuela following the reported capture of Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, triggering a ripple effect across Caribbean travel routes.
By Sunday, long lines had formed inside MIA as travelers waited hours to track down luggage that had been sent ahead — even though their flights never took off.
“As you can see, there’s a lot of people, and apparently thousands and thousands of bags,” said Jennifer Heimann, who was traveling from Tampa.
Heimann and her family were scheduled to sail on a catamaran in the British Virgin Islands. Their flight to St. Thomas was canceled, but their luggage still made the trip.
“They said, ‘Your bags are in St. Thomas,’ and I said, ‘Wait — our bags are there and we’re not?’” Heimann said. “We can’t even get a flight until Thursday, and they just sent the bags ahead.”
The family is now renting a car to drive back to Tampa and hoping their luggage eventually finds its way home.
Similar frustrations were echoed by other travelers across the terminal.
The Cookson family, traveling from Tyler, Texas, had their flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico canceled just before they were set to board a cruise.
“They’re shipping our bags out to the Caribbean and not allowing us to retrieve them,” said Pamela Cookson. “We don’t know when we’re going to get our luggage.”
American Airlines says it added six additional flights out of Miami, bringing the total to roughly two dozen extra flights and nearly 5,000 additional seats to help impacted customers. Even so, many passengers told CBS News Miami the earliest rebooking available wasn’t until Thursday.
Susan Daniel, traveling from Little Rock, Arkansas to St. Croix, said the delays forced her family to make last-minute arrangements.
“We had to Uber, leave our bags, get an Airbnb, then come back today, take another Uber, and stand in this long line just to hopefully get our bags and our computers — everything we need,” Daniel said.
Some travelers reported waiting hours in one line, only to be directed into another long wait for their luggage. Others tried to make the best of the situation.
“Guess we’re vacationing in Miami now for three days or something like that,” said Jake Boylin, who was traveling from St. Louis. “Then going back home and rescheduling the trip.”
The next unanswered question for many travelers: whether they’ll be reimbursed for canceled trips, hotels, and cruises.
Travel experts advise passengers to keep all receipts and documentation in case refunds or reimbursements become available.
Miami, FL
Venezuela supporters join Cuban Americans in Miami show of solidarity
Miami, FL
Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputy opens fire on vehicle after altercation during traffic stop, officials say
An investigation is underway in Northwest Miami-Dade after the sheriff’s office said a deputy opened fire after an altercation occurred during a traffic stop on Sunday night.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, a deputy received an alert about a stolen vehicle Sunday evening and eventually located the vehicle in the area of NW 17th Avenue and NW 95th Street in West Little River and conducted a traffic stop.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said that as the deputy approached the vehicle, an altercation began, and the deputy opened fire, striking the vehicle.
That vehicle then fled the scene and was located nearby.
The sheriff’s office said a gun was located inside the vehicle, and the driver fled the scene.
That person is still at large as of early Monday morning, officials said.
The deputy was not injured in the incident, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
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