World No. 1 Rafael Nadal To Play Saturday, March 26 Evening Session

© Sony Ericsson Open

WORLD NO. 1 RAFAEL NADAL TO OPEN EVENING SESSION PLAY ON SATURDAY, MARCH 26

MIAMI, Fla. (www.sonyericssonopen.com) – World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will make his highly anticipated return to South Florida at the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open on Saturday, March 26 (Session 10) at 8:00 p.m. Nadal’s potential opponents will be determined on Monday, March 21 at 12 p.m. when the men’s draw is announced.

Nadal has proven to be a fan favorite in Miami repeatedly playing in front of sold-out crowds at the Sony Ericsson Open. The charismatic Spanish star considers the Sony Ericsson Open one of his preferred stops on the tour, as he enjoys not only the Miami weather, but the eclectic culture, and the array of outdoor activities including his favorites fishing and golf.

The Sony Ericsson Open provides a total entertainment experience with a two-week fusion of events with fashion, food, and musical performances in between blockbuster matches. Prior to Nadal’s match, there is a variety of performances scheduled including a Samba and Capoeria dance show at 6 p.m. on the entertainment stage and a performance by world renowned Spanish guitarist, Nicholas Marks, at 7:30 p.m. on stadium court. Marks, a South Florida based musician, is known for his vibrant musical styles that blend Spanish flamenco, Rumba, and American Pop music.

Tickets to the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or via internet at www.sonyericssonopen.com. An electrifying two weeks of tennis conclude with the women’s final on Saturday, April 2 and the men’s final on Sunday, April 3.

The three-time Sony Ericsson Open semi finalist (’05,’08,’10) is seeking his first championship of the Sony Ericsson Open purple courts. Nadal fell to eventual champ Andy Roddick in a three-set thriller in the semifinals of last year’s tournament.

Nadal enters 2011 looking to build on last year’s remarkable 2010 season. The Spaniard put together the best season of his career winning a tour best nine titles including three Grand Slams, and regained the World No. 1 ranking.

The nine-time Grand Slam champion became the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open singles titles in the same season. With his victory at the US Open he became the youngest player in the Open Era to record the career Grand Slam. Earlier this year, Nadal was named winner of the prestigious Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award in Abu Dhabi. Nadal’s competition for the award featured many of the World’s best athletes such as Lionel Messi (Soccer), Kobe Bryant (Basketball) and Sebastian Vettel (Formula One).

Nadal will face a field featuring defending Sony Ericsson Open champ Andy Roddick; 16-time Grand Slam Champion and three-time Sony Ericsson Open winner Roger Federer; reigning Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic; and 2009 Sony Ericsson Open champion Andy Murray.

The women's field also features power players including defending Sony Ericsson Open champion Kim Clijsters; five-time Sony Ericsson Open winner Serena Williams; current World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki; and three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova.

ABOUT THE SONY ERICSSON OPEN: The 2011 Sony Ericsson Open will be played March 21-April 3 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. The combined event, founded by Butch Buchholz in 1985, is owned and operated by IMG. The Sony Ericsson Open is one of nine ATP Masters Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the Sony Ericsson WTA TOUR calendar, and features the top men's and women's tennis players in the world.  In 2010, the tournament recorded 11 session sellouts, set eight session records and surpassed 300,000 in attendance for the first time in tournament history. For ticket information, call (305) 442-3367 or visit the website at www.sonyericssonopen.com.
 
ABOUT SONY ERICSSON: Sony Ericsson is a 50:50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson established in October 2001, with global corporate functions located in London and operations in all major markets.  Our vision is to become the industry leader in Communication Entertainment; where new styles of communicating through the internet and social media, become entertainment.  Sony Ericsson offers exciting consumer experiences through phones, accessories, content and applications, for more information please visit: www.sonyericsson.com.  Sony Ericsson is the title sponsor of the Women's Tennis Association, and works with the Association to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in over 80 cities during the year. For more information, please visit www.sonyericssonwtatour.com.