Tough starts went to (1) Halep vs. the Azarenka-Osaka winner, (13) Keys vs. Pavlyuchenkova, (9) Stephens vs. the crafty Strycova, (3) Muguruza vs. the Gavrilova-Bellis winner, (16) Barty vs. Sharapova…

Former champions in the field are Kasatkina (2017), Stephens (2016), Andrea Petkovic (2014), and Stosur (2010).

Three Top 10ers in the field, including the new world No. 1 and Australian Open champion Wozniacki…The Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Interesting starts for (8) Kasatkina 2nd rd. vs. the Barthel-Cornet winner, (4) Mladenovic vs. the Sorana Cirstea-Cibulkova winner, (6) Pavlyuchenkova vs. Makarova, (3) Garcia vs. Bacsinszky making her 2018 debut, (7) Vesnina vs. (WC) Kvitova (winner to meet Begu), and (2) Ostapenko vs. the former world No. 2 (WC) Zvonareva vs. Bertens winner…

(5) Venus vs. Bencic the must-watch 1st rd. match in Melbourne…Other tough starts for (31) Makarova vs. Begu, and the injury-hampered (13) Stephens vs. Zhang, who she has previously lost to…

Potential tough starts for the floundering (9) Radwanska vs. Rybarikova (winner to face the Gavrilova-Goerges victor), (7) Cibulkova vs. Stosur, (12) Kerber vs. Garcia, (15) Sevastova vs. Makarova, and (2) Halep vs. the Riske-Kasatkina winner…

Tough starts for seeds (1) Radwanks vs. (WC) Bouchard, (5) Vesnina vs. (WC) Stephens, and (7) Strycova vs. the rising Russian Kasatkina…

(2) Halep could be up against it with an early road of qualifier and two-time grasscourt doubles winner Marina Erakovic, then Brit Laura Robson, then Bouchard

Potential tough starts for (1) Kerber vs. homegirl (WC) Broady, (10) Ostapenko vs. Makarova, (3) Pliskova vs. the Riske/Cornet winner, (8) Radwanska vs. the Goerges/Bellis winner, (11) Muguruza vs. Bouchard, and (6) Wozniacki vs. the Japanese riser Osaka…

Last year’s final was all Kiki Berten as the Dutchwoman qualified then won the singles, defeating Colombia’s Mariana Duque-Marino in the final, then won the doubles…

“It’s a very difficult [opening] match,” Konta said of Siegemund. “I’m playing someone, Laura, who’s coming off a great result in Stuttgart. She beat a lot of great players so I know she’s playing well on this surface. I’m looking forward to the challenge, to play someone who’s playing well on this surface and improve my game as well.”

Tough starts for (9) Gavrilova vs. Errani, (6) Sam Stosur vs. Jankovic in a battle of former champs, and (16) Siniakova vs. Puig…

3-time champion Venus Williams opens play Friday in Miami.

“Tennis is awesome, I can say,” Vesnina said.

“This was the biggest final and today, it was big,” Vesnina said. “It was electric, to be honest. I felt the atmosphere. It was a very important match for me.”

Kristina Mladenovic and Elena Vesnina reached their first career Indian Wells semifinal.