Miami Open isn’t the only tennis event in town. This one’s for the dogs
The Miami Open tournament has tennis fans heading to Hard Rock Stadium through March 29 to watch some of the sport’s biggest names and to see who the breakout champ may be.
But another Miami-area park hopes to get a bite out of all of that tennis excitement on Saturday. And at this tennis match, none of the players will challenge a line call. Though they won’t be quiet.
Chewy Bark Park in Coral Gables, 4500 Ponce de Leon Blvd., hosts a three-hour Tennis Ball Drop on Saturday, March 21, where dogs can play, run and dive in a giant ball pit filled with tennis balls.
Their humans can take one of the tennis balls home. Extra tennis balls are earmarked for more than 15 Miami shelters and rescues, according to the Plantation-based Chewy, a sponsor of The Underline’s dog park and partner with Friends of the Underline.
READ MORE: Gables gets new dog park, part of The Underline. See its first canine visitors
“Our Tennis Ball Drop is a joyful way to bring Miami’s tennis season energy to the park, with thousands of colorful tennis balls for dogs to play with and fun photo-worthy moments,” said Lisa-Marie Curti, head of partnerships at Chewy, in an email to the Miami Herald. “Chewy was founded in South Florida, so moments like this close to home are especially meaningful.”
Instagram opportunities abound.
Tennis Ball Drop details
- Where: The Tennis Ball Drop at Chewy Bark Park is at 4500 Ponce de Leon Blvd., near Southwest 42nd Avenue (Le Jeune Road) and Grand Avenue in Coral Gables.
- When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 21.
- Format: Dogs will be off-leash for this event so it’s best for dogs comfortable in social settings, says Chewy.
- Cost: Free and open to the public.
- Getting there: There is nearby PaybyPhone streetside parking and at Lot 41 at 4500 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Or take the Metrorail to Douglas Station and walk south toward Chewy Bark Park.
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 4:49 PM.
