CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.sonyericssonopen.com) – The 2008 Sony Ericsson Open is bigger and better than ever. Bringing world-class tennis to the streets of Miami, the Sony Ericsson Open is giving fans a chance to experience the action of one of the largest tennis tournaments in the world.

Kicking off its City wide tour, the Sony Ericsson Open will take over CocoWalk in Coconut Grove on Thursday, March 27 when it hosts Sony Ericsson Open College Night from 8 p.m. to midnight. The area known for its boutiques, restaurants and night clubs will transform into a tennis extravaganza giving fans a chance to enjoy much of what the Sony Ericsson Open has to offer without heading out to Key Biscayne.

The night will surely be one to remember. Power 96 will broadcast live from the event playing the hottest music on the charts. Above them, Sony Ericsson Open highlights will play continuously on a large projection TV offering party guests the chance to see tennis played at the absolute highest level.

If you enjoy video games then CocoWalk will be the place to be. Unveiling the latest edition of Top Spin 3, 2K Sports will allow fans to test the new tennis video game using Sony PlayStation months before it hits stores on May 20.

Fila, the official apparel sponsor of the Sony Ericsson Open, will have a photo area as part of their “How do you Fila” campaign. Stop by and take a photo for your chance to become a Fila model. Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without a star sighting – mixing and mingling with guests, some of the top tennis players from the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tours will be on hand for autographs and photos.

Expanding to Lincoln Road two days later, the Sony Ericsson Open will turn South Beach into tennis central from March 29-April 1. The four day event will bring the glitz and glamour of the Sony Ericsson Open to one the glamour capitals of the world.

Located at the cross section of Lincoln Road and Pennsylvania Avenue, the Sony Ericsson Open at Lincoln Road will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will offer visitors the chance to watch live on a large video board the best players in the world battle on the purple courts for one of the most prestigious titles in tennis. 

2K Sports will host virtual tennis tournaments each day featuring its new Top Spin 3 game. Contestants will have the opportunity to win tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open as well as high-end Top Spin 3/2K Sports FILA track jacket signed by some of the Tours’ best players.

There will also be a fast serve cage on site where fans can try to match some of the fastest serves ever at the Sony Ericsson open. Even if you can’t match the pros, the fastest serve of the day will win tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open.

Finally, what would a tennis event be without appearances by some of the world’s best tennis players. Stop by March 29 (7 p.m.), March 30 (2 p.m.), March 31 (7 p.m.) and April 1 (7 p.m.) to meet some of your favorite players.

The Sony Ericsson Open event on CocoWalk and at Lincoln Road is free and open to the public.    

ABOUT THE SONY ERICSSON OPEN: The 2008 Sony Ericsson Open will be played March 26- April 6 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. The 12-day combined event, founded by Butch Buchholz in 1985, is owned by IMG. The Sony Ericsson Open is one of nine ATP Masters Series events on the ATP calendar, a top tier event on the Sony Ericsson WTA TOUR calendar, and features the top men's and women's tennis players in the world.  In 2007, Novak Djokovic defeated Guillermo Canas for his first Sony Ericsson Open title, while Serena Williams defeated Justine Henin to win her fourth title in Miami. For ticket information, call (305) 442-3367 or visit the website at http://www.SonyEricssonOpen.com.