WTA Miami Preview: Venus Alone in U.S. Sky

Lindsay Davenport (back) and Serena Williams (knee) pulled from the event citing injury. This is likely Davenport's last year on tour, while the state of Serena remains a total mystery. A regular on the party circuit since she has been injured, debuting her fashions and perfumes and pursuing acting roles, the younger Williams sister last appeared at the Australian Open vastly overweight and unprepared.

Only six other U.S. women were able via their ranking to gain acceptance to the main draw, with additional wildcard help needed for Americans Shenay Perry, Jamea Jackson, Angela Haynes, and Vania King.

Heading the field in Miami is world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo, who enters the event after reclaiming the top spot from Kim Clijsters. Mauresmo then voiced her desire to join the exclusive list of year-end No. 1 finishers, a list of only eight players headed by Steffi Graf, who accomplished the feat eight times.

Here is a quick breakdown of the four quarters of the draw for the 2006 NASDAQ-100 Open:

Top Quarter
Seeds to watch: (1) Amelie Mauresmo, (5) Nadia Petrova, (18) Dinara Safina

Usually the Slams and the 96-draws like Miami and Indian Wells are "wake me in the fourth round" affairs for the women filled with early-round bagel-baking, and this week has few exceptions. Mauresmo could face a 2nd round challenge from hot-and-cold running Aussie Sam Stosur before meeting (14) Ivanovic in the 4th round. (11) Vaidosova vs. (18) Safina in the 3rd round would be one to watch in this quarter, with the winner against (5) Petrova in the fourth round.

Oddities to watch in the top quarter include 35-year-old wildcard Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Croatian wildcard Sanja Ancic, and struggling Americans Ashley Harkleroad and wildcard Jamea Jackson.

Second Quarter
Seeds to watch: (3) Justine Henin-Hardenne, (7) Patty Schnyder, (12) Svetlana Kuznetsova, (24) Martina Hingis

Nice draw for Henin-Hardenne, who you can extend straight into the quarterfinals. Hingis and Kuznetsova are headed toward a third-round meeting, with the winner facing Schnyder, and that winner facing H-H.

Tipped Chinese player Shuai Peng faces American Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier in the opening round, with the winner to match up against (15) Elena Likhovtseva. Kuznetsova will "Vera"-well face a Russian in her opener, either Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva or Vera Dushevina.

Third Quarter
Seeds to watch: (4) Maria Sharapova, (8) Venus Williams, (10) Anastasia Myskina, (13) Daniela Hantuchova, (20) Maria Kirilenko

The chances of a Venus vs. Maria showdown in the quarters are good, if the American can bypass Myskina in the fourth round, and Sharapova can put down the same-round threat from Hantuchova or the fast-rising Russian Kirilenko.

Sharapova's opener will be against an Asian opponent after Japan's Akiko Morigamo and China's Na Li settle their difference. Venus will open against Russian wildcard Alisa Kleybanova or France's Virginie Razzano.

Bottom Quarter
Seeds to watch: (2) Kim Clijsters, (6) Elena Dementieva, (9) Francesca Schiavone

If Clijsters' draw were any fresher it would walk off the plate, so put her in the quarterfinals, but can the ill-serving Dementieva meet her? A runner-up at Indian Wells where she wobbled through a number of wins, the blonde baseliner will be tested straight away in her opener against the hard-hitting but frequently-missing Sania Mirza, who was more than likely anticipating being seeded at Miami earlier in 2006 before her results tanked.

Dementieva's next match would be against another baseline belter in either (29) Lucie Safarova or Michaella Krajicek, then in the fourth round either (9) Schiavone or (22) Tatiana Golovin, who likewise has had trouble finding the court of late.

Mary Pierce also joined the injury list, withdrawing with a foot injury.

Clijsters straight-setted Sharapova in last year's final, and the two could very likely meet again this year, this time in the bottom-half semifinals.

Returning champs in this year's field are Clijsters (2005), the three-time champ Venus (2001,'99-98), and Hingis (2000,'97).

Highlights and lowlights for Wednesday's all-unseeded scheduled are Ashley "Anna 2.0" Harkleroad vs. Jamea Jackson in an all-American, Amy Frazier vs. Chinese great expectation Shuai Peng, Sam Stosur vs. the 35-year-old Brenda Schultz McCarthy, and Iveta Benesova vs. (WC) Sanja "Baby Sister" Ancic.