Third-seeded Maria Sharapova battled to a 6-4 6-2 victory over fellow Russian Elena Vesnina on Sunday to book her fourth-round berth at the Miami ATP Masters and WTA hardcourt tournament.
Sharapova, who won the title last week at Indian Wells, will take on Czech Klara Zakopalova on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.
The Russian star has never won the Miami title, although she’s reached the final four times.
Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters are the only women to win Indian Wells and Miami in the same year – Graf in 1994 and 1996 and Clijsters in 2005.
Earlier in the men’s draw, world No.5 David Ferrer beat Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-1 7-5 to book a fourth-round clash with Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
Ferrer, seeded third, was playing his first match of the tournament after advancing to the third round on a walkover when his scheduled opponent Dmitry Tursunov of Russia withdrew.
The 30-year-old Spaniard will battle for a quarter-final berth against 13th-seeded Nishikori, a 6-2 7-5 winner over Belgian Xavier Malisse.
The two have split their four previous encounters 2-2. Ferrer triumphed in their last meeting, notching a straight-sets victory over the Japanese in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
“It’s going to be a very difficult match,” Ferrer said. “The last time I played him at the Australian Open, I beat him in three sets, but I will have to run a lot. We will play a lot of rallies on the baseline. Nishikori, he has unbelievable shots. He plays with a lot of power.”
Ferrer broke Fognini four times en route to the victory in 79 minutes. It was his third win over the Italian this season and his sixth in six career meetings.
Ferrer is vying for his third trophy of the season, after successfully defending titles in Auckland and Buenos Aires.
But he had a disappointing outing at Indian Wells, falling in his second-round opener.