Opening Round Action Concludes on the Women’s Side in Miami

Opening round action on the women’s singles side of the draw came to a close at the 2013 Sony Open Tennis came to a close with 22 matches, as Svetlana Kuznetsova battled past Lourdes Domínguez Lino in straight sets over to advance to round two, 6-3, 6-3. Miami has been one of Kuznetsova’s best stops in the past, not only winning the title in 2006, but making the semifinals twice more, in 2008 (losing to eventual champion Serena Williams in three sets) and 2009 (losing to eventual champion Victoria Azarenka in three sets). And she has also captured the doubles title twice before, in 2005 (with Alicia Molik) and 2009 (with Amélie Mauresmo). Up next for Kuznetsova is number 18 seed Ekaterina Makarova, and the two have split victories in two career matches.

Francesca Schiavone needed nearly three hours before finally scoring the win over Jana Cepelova, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Schiavone advances to round two to face world number six Angelique Kerbrer. 

Victoria Duval, a 17-year-old American wild card entry, won a tight two-setter with Andrea Hlavackova, 7-6(4) 6-4, just her second WTA main draw match win after beating Johanna Larsson at Memphis in February. Duval made her WTA main draw debut at last year’s U.S. Open where she faced Kim Clijsters in the first match of the Belgian’s final tournament, a match where Clijsters went on to win in straight sets.

Top-ranked Serena williams begins her quest for a title in Miami when she begins action against Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, a 6-4, 6-1 winner in her opening round match over Johanna Larsson. Ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki will enter the second round and face qualifier Karolina Pliskova, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Lucie Hradecka. Wild card Madison Keys of the United States was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over qualifier over Allie Kiick to advance to round two where she will face world number two Victoria Azarenka.

Other winners on Day 2 of play were Urszula Radwanska, Laura Robson, Zheng Jie, Magdalena Rybarikova, Christina McHale, Simona Halep, Romina Oprandi, Olga Govortsova, Jamie Hampton, Daniela Hantuchova, Sílvia Soler-Espinosa, Stefanie Voegele, Garbiñe Muguruza, Donna Vekic, Eugenie Bouchard and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.