INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Qualifiers Laura Siegemund of Germany and Kurumi Nara of Japan set up matches against the Williams sisters with first-round victories Wednesday in the BNP Paribas Open.
On Friday, Siegemund will face top-ranked Serena Williams, and Nara will play 10th-seeded Venus Williams.
Nara beat Teliana Pereira of Brazil 6-1, 6-2, and Siegemund topped Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. At No. 35, Begu was the highest-ranked player in action on the opening day with all 32 seeds receiving first-round byes.
The other over 30s fared better, with No. 36 Lesia Tsurenko, No.