After winning the PNB Paribas Open last week, Maria Sharapova is aiming for a rare double when she lines at the Sony Open.
Only two players in WTA history have won back-to-back Indian Wells and Key Biscayne titles: Steffi Graf in 1994 and 1996, and Kim Clijsters in 2005.
Sharapova, who won her second BNP Paribas title with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Caroline Wozniacki on Sunday, isn’t scheduled to play until Friday at the Sony Open. All the seeded players in the men’s and women’s draw receive a first-round bye.
“These tournaments are always really tough because they’re close together,” the No. 3-seeded Sharapova said. “As soon as you’re done with the first one (Indian Wells) you’re onto the next one and you’re here. I’m looking forward to trying to take it a step further (here) this year.”
Sharapova came close to achieving the back-to-back victories in 2006, winning the Indian Wells tournament and reaching the final here. Overall, she’s been in four Sony Open finals, including last year when she lost to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
Pennetta wins
Pennetta won her first-round match 6-4, 6-1 over Johanna Larsson of Sweden. Petkovic, playing in only her second tournament of the year following a knee injury at the Hopman Cup in January, defeated Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia 6-3, 6-1.
Pennetta wins
Pennetta won her first-round match 6-4, 6-1 over Johanna Larsson of Sweden. Petkovic, playing in only her second tournament of the year following a knee injury at the Hopman Cup in January, defeated Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia 6-3, 6-1.
Pennetta, ranked 103rd, will meet Williams on Thursday in a second-round match at the $8.5 million event.
In other results, Ayumi Morita of Japan defeated Heather Watson of Britain 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, Kristina Mladecnovic of France had a 7-5, 6-2 win over Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada and Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan battled in the second-set tiebreaker to secure a 6-4, 7-6 (15) victory over Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.