Sanders storms her way to Miami Open win

Australian Storm Sanders has overcome a mid-match slip-up to power her way into the second round of the Miami Open.

Sanders, a wildcard into the lucrative WTA 1000 event, appeared set for a comfortable outing against qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto when she led by a set and a break.

A hiccup on serve cost Sanders the second set but she wasted little time in third set to close out a 6-1 5-7 6-1 victory.

She joins fellow Australians Ash Barty and Alja Tomljanovic in the second round.

Next up for world No.203 Sanders is a showdown with Australian Open quarter-finalist Jessica Pegula, the 29th seed.

In other results, Sloane Stephens earned her first victory of the year by rallying past qualifier Oceane Dodin of 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-2.

Stephens, who won the Miami tournament in 2018, hadn’t won a match since the French Open in September.

Wildcard Ana Konjuh of Croatia won her first main-draw match in a WTA event since 2018 when she beat Katerina Siniakova 7-6 (7-3) 7-5.

Konjuh’s career has been slowed by four elbow surgeries.

Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain overcame two match points and a 5-1 deficit in the final set to overcome Bernarda Pera 6-2 2-6 7-5 while there were comfortable wins for Jelena Ostapenko and Danielle Collins.