Miami, FL, USA, 26 March 2015 | tennis.com.au

Australians Daria Gavrilova and James Duckworth have progressed to the second round of the Miami Open after wins on Wednesday.

Gavrilova set up a showdown with No.2 seed Maria Sharapova when New Zealand opponent Marina Erakovic retired from their match trailing 1-5 in the first set.

Duckworth, overcame fellow qualifier Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia 6-3 3-6 6-3 in one hour and 42 minutes.

He will next face No.29 seed Fernando Verdasco, the Spaniard who ended his Indian Wells campaign in the second round a fortnight earlier.

Unfortunately, compatriots Marinko Matosevic and Thanasi Kokkinakis were unable to join Duckworth in the second round.

Kokkinakis, a wildcard, opened the day’s play on Stadium at Crandon Park, yet fell in three sets to Argentine Carlos Berlocq.

Kokkinakis battled for almost two-and-half hours before Berlocq managed to eek out a 6-4 3-6 6-2 victory.

Later on Wednesday, Matosevic went down 6-3 6-3 to Finnish veteran Jarkko Nieminen.