As I arrive at Hard Rock Stadium in mid-March to attend the Miami Open tennis tournament, I gather my personal belongings and materials to enter the venue. The grounds are bustling with fans, staff, and volunteers, contributing to an energetic atmosphere throughout the two-week event. The vibrant sounds of music emanating from Stadium Court are impossible to overlook.
If the music played on Stadium Court attracts my attention as a media member, I can only imagine how engaged and diverse the fans in South Florida must feel.
With tennis tournaments occurring globally, the vibrant atmosphere created by the music and surrounding sounds on the Stadium Court—home to the NFL team, Miami Dolphins—is particularly remarkable in this setting.
Since relocating from Key Biscayne to Hard Rock Stadium six years ago, the Miami Open, presented by Itaú, has consistently achieved record-breaking attendance figures during each full-capacity tournament (2019, 2022–2025). This year, the event continued this trend, surpassing 400,000 in attendance for the first time, with 405,448 attendees.
Historically, the current music sounds on Stadium Court were not always present; however, it has become a defining characteristic of the tournament’s modern era.
The tournament features the world’s top tennis players, attracting significant attention. Throughout the event, the team led by Stu Weiner and Andrew Krasny, with their talented DJ Hassan Kabbah providing music from the turntables on Stadium Court, maintains the vibrant atmosphere essential for an engaging two weeks of competition.
Fans, staff, and players focus their attention prior to each match, accompanied by the signature Miami Open sound.
“Andrew said to me we need to do a video that tells people wherever they are that tennis is about to start,” Weiner said.
Stu and Andrew have worked as co-executive producers for four years, starting with the Miami Open.
“If you are getting a hotdog, your kids are getting popcorn; they hear that song, and they can tell Dad we have to go. The match is about to start,” Krasny, who also hosts on Stadium Courts, stated. “I have chills. Tennis is about to start; that was our goal.”
Mission accomplished; the players are also experiencing the signature sound.
“The players hear the first beats of our hype video, and they get ready to walk on Stadium Court into place for their match,” Weiner said. “It brings the energy of what we want tennis to be.”
Weiner and Krasny dedicated their time to agreements, disagreements, music themes, and music genres that matched their vision of what they wanted, and they eventually found the one.
“It was about a five to six-week process of Stu and I executive producers going through song after song to try to capture the essence of tennis in South Florida,” Krasny said. “And not only is it in South Florida, but it is also a place where people from all over the world come. We need something that appeals to everybody and matches the energy that we want to push out. It was a long process, and it had to be agreed upon by a large committee, and it was Stu and I that I would say filtered through about 300 hundred songs until we found it.”
One song was selected to begin the match on Stadium Court. During the matches, I was often asked, “West, what song is this?” or, more frequently, “West, how can I access this playlist?” As I could not provide immediate answers, I reached out to the source, DJ Kabbah.
When Kabbah entered the room for our conversation, he was carrying the necessary food for the moment. He was wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap turned to the side and a retro Miami Open polo shirt. He then proceeded directly to the area where his turntables and equipment were set up. The presentation will now commence.
The Miami Open celebrated its 40 years of existence in this 2025 tournament. The concept of hosting an international tennis tournament in Miami originated in the 1960s, when renowned tennis players such as Pancho Gonzalez, Jack Kramer, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman, and Butch Buchholz toured across the United States, playing matches on portable canvas courts at various fairgrounds. The tournament was officially established by former player Butch Buchholz, who served as the executive director of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) during the 1980s. Create it, and the fans will arrive and enjoy Kabbah’s signature style of music.
Under typical conditions, including rain delays and both doubles and singles matches, there is no predetermined expectation regarding Kabbah’s choice of music. His selection includes a diverse range of artists such as Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Drake, and Ben Rector, each with an electronic signature uniquely crafted by him.
“It is what I am feeling at the time; there is no set playlist for me,” Kabbah said. “The way I feel at that moment, it is just a feeling, it hard to explain.”
Surprisingly, Kabbah comes up with a playlist mix in seconds. He does not prepare for the tournament in advance.
“Everything I played during the rain delay was strictly off how I felt at the moment,” Kabbah added.
One of the vendors responsible for sound and music for the Dolphins recommended Hassan to Andrew. A decision was needed regarding a new DJ, whom he was suggested.
“Hassan is the first DJ I have ever worked with that completely separates himself from what he feels an audience attending a tennis tournament wants to hear,” Krasny said. “He connects with 14,000 fans, looks out, feels who is here, plays music they want to hear, not what he wants to hear. He is spot on 100% of the time of every song he plays.”
Hassan plays it, and we all appreciate it.
“Music is the true essence of event presentation; without music, nothing works,” Weiner said. “You can have the greatest videos, greatest displays, and greatest players; without music, it will not work. Hassan is the MVP behind the scenes; he always brings amazing energy.”
Hassan is experiencing a DJ’s dream, performing as a DJ at a football stadium with an audience comprising slightly over twenty-five percent of a typical football game’s capacity. He benefits from the venue’s acoustics, enabling him to engage and capture the attention of tennis fans inside and outside the stadium in a way that surpasses several aspects of the traditional tennis tour. As I mentioned, upon entering the stadium from my car, the sound of the music immediately drew my attention.
“The touch is me playing it; there is nothing special,” Kabbah said. “Do I have a signature touch? I don’t believe so. I try to make sure the music is a focal point in every aspect of bringing young and old together into one.”
During the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and at local bars and clubs throughout South Florida, from Delray Beach to Boca Raton, you can experience the diverse sound of Hassan’s music playlist beyond the Miami Open. In addition to his passion for music, he also serves as a full-time orthopedic nurse.
“If you break your bone, come see me,” Kabbah said. “My other life is what pays most of my bills.”
In my view, many dynamic and ever-changing elements occur throughout the two-week tennis tournament. However, one constant remains—the signature sound on Stadium Court.
13 thoughts