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Miami - Two-times Miami Open winner Victoria Azarenka defeated Spain's Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1 6-3 on Wednesday to set up a second round meeting with Serbia's Jelena Jankovic.
Former world number one Azarenka made her name with victory in Miami in 2009 and followed that up with another triumph in 2011 but hampered by injuries, she has fallen down the world rannkings in the past year to 36.
The Belarusian, who has not been in Miami for three years, had to fight back from 3-1 down in the second set to ensure she advanced in straight sets.
"I felt I played really good in the first set but in the second I dropped a little my aggressivity," said Azarenka. "But it is nice to be back somewhere where I had a lot of success. I've always loved this city and this tournament."
Azarenka will face a tough test in the next round with in form Jankovic coming off a run to the Indian Wells final before falling to Romanian Simona Halep.
Third-seed Halep will face Czech Nicole Vaidisova, the former world number seven back on the tour after ending her retirement.
The 25-year-old Vaidisova beat Hungarian Timea Babos 6-1 7-6 in what was her first WTA-level match since Memphis in 2010.
Russian wildcard Daria Gavrilova advanced past New Zealand's, Marina Erakovic who had to retire with an ankle injury when down 5-1.
Gavrilova will face compatriot and second seed Maria Sharapova in the second round.
Top seed Serena Williams, who had to pull out of her semi-final in Indian Wells with a knee injury, says she will be ready to face Romanian Monica Niculescu on Friday.
"It's okay. I know I'm going to have to manage the pain. I think you just have to figure out the best way around it. I don't want to put much pressure on it before (Friday) " said Williams, who has won seven titles at Miami.
Results on Wednesday from the second day of the ATP and WTA Miami Open (x denotes seed):
Women
1st rd
Belinda Bencic (SUI) bt Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Christine Mchale (USA) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 7-5, 6-4
Alison Riske (USA) bt Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) 6-4, 6-0
Annika Beck (GER) bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Stephanie Voegele (SUI) bt Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-2, 6-2
Daria Gavrilova (RUS) bt Marina Erakovic (NZL) 5-1, retired
Heather Watson (GBR) bt Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
Pauline Parmentier (FRA) bt Kiki Bertens (NED) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Alexandra Dulgheru (ROM) 6-4, 6-2
Urszula Radwanska (POL) bt Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) 6-1, 6-3
Julia Goerges (GER) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 6-1, 6-0
Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 7-5, 2-6, 6-0
Tatjana Maria (GER) bt Roberta Vinci (ITA) 7-6 (11/9), 6-3
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) 6-4, 6-3
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) bt Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
Irina Falconi (USA) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (7/3)
Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5)
Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-1, 6-3
Men
1st rd
Donald Young (USA) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) 5-1, retired, neck injury
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 3-6, 7-6 (12/10), 6-4
Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Jack Sock (USA) bt Go Soeda (JPN) 6-3, 6-4
Chung Hyeon (KOR) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
James Duckworth (AUS) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4
Austin Krajicek (USA) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-4, 6-4
Robin Haase (NED) bt Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-2, 6-2
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) bt Marinko Matosevic (AUS) 6-3, 6-3
Alberto Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-2, 6-2
Filip Krajinovic (SRB) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 4-2, retired
Dominic Thiem (AUT) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 7-6 (7/0), 7-5
Tim Smyczek (USA) bt Adrian Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Sam Querrey (USA) bt Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 6-4, 6-3
Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4
