MIAMI, March 23 (UPI) -- American Vania King couldn't make it past the first round Tuesday, losing the opener at the $4.5 million Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
King was ousted by China's Peng Shuai 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 at Crandon Park's hard courts. Peng now advances to the second round where she will face top-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, the winner of the 2006 Miami event and reigning French Open champ.
Joining Peng among the first-round winners were Argentine Gisela Dulko -- who moved ahead with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Belarusian Olga Govortsova -- Czech Petra Kvitova, Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova, Croat Petra Martic, Slovenian Polona Hercog, Romanian Sorana Cirstea and Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova.
Among the other participants in the Sony Ericsson are last week's Indian Wells runner-up Caroline Wozniacki and champion Jelena Jankovic, as well as Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.
Serena Williams, a five-time Miami champion, is skipping this year's event while nursing a left knee injury.
