GB’s Jones draws legend Williams in Miami, Kartal could face Raducanu

Great Britain’s Fran Jones has been drawn against American great Venus Williams in the first round of the Miami Open, while fellow Britons Emma Raducanu and Sonay Kartal could face each other for the first time in the second round.

Williams, now 45, became the second oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match by beating Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open last July.

Since then, the seven-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one has lost eight out of eight singles matches, with her latest defeat coming against France’s Diane Parry in the first round at Indian Wells.

Williams is 517st in the women’s ranking, while 25-year-old Jones is ranked 93rd.

Kartal, who impressed by getting to the last 16 at Indian Wells before withdrawing during her match against Elena Rybakina with a lower back injury, will play Stearns in the Miami Open first round, which starts on Tuesday.

A victory for Kartal would set up a first professional match against Raducanu, who was beaten in the third round at Indian Wells and has received a bye in the first round of the Miami Open.