​The WTA 1000 tournament in Miami will be the first in history to feature 16 Grand Slam champions after Simona Halep accepted a wildcard from the organizers.

Simona Halep is among the 16 Grand Slam champions who will take part in the WTA in Miami

128 players will enter the tournament in Florida, and 16 of them have at least one major title.

In addition to the 10 Grand Slam champions who received a direct entry into the main draw in Miami (due to their position in the WTA hierarchy), two will participate thanks to a protected ranking, and another four received wild cards.

Whether all these players will be able to play in the “WTA 1000” tournament (March 19-31) remains unknown.

WTA Miami Grand Slam champions and how they made it to the main draw

Placed in the WTA ranking:

• Iga Sviatek – 1 WTA – Roland Garros (2020, 2022, 2023), US Open (2022)

• Aryna Sabalenko – 2 WTA – Australian Open (2022, 2023)

• Coco Gauff – 3 WTA – US Open (2023)

• Olena Rybakina – 4 WTA – Wimbledon (2022)

• Marketa Vondrousova – 7 WTA – Wimbledon (2023)

• Olena Ostapenko – 10 WTA – Roland Garros (2017)

• Barbora Krejcikova – 21 WTA – Roland Garros (2021)

• Victoria Azarenka – 30 WTA – Australian Open (2012, 2013)

• Sloane Stephens – 44 WTA – US Open (2017)

• Sofia Kenin – 55 WTA – Australian Open (2020).

Protected rating rule:

• Naomi Osaka – 287 WTA – US Open 2018 and 2020 and Australian Open 2019 and 2021)

• Angelique Kerber – 607 WTA – Australian Open (2016), US Open (2016), Wimbledon (2018)

They received a substitution:

• Caroline Wozniacki – 204 WTA – Australian Open (2018)

• Emma Reducanu – 250 WTA – US Open (2021)

• Venus Williams – 487 WTA – Wimbledon (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008), US Open (2000, 2001)

• Simona Halep – unranked – Roland Garros (2018) and Wimbledon (2019).