Defending women's champion Serena Williams returns to the Sony Ericsson Championship this week, seeking her fifth Miami title in seven years.

Williams won three straight crowns from 2002-2004, then returned to Miami in 2007 for the first time since her 2004 title run.

Last year Williams saved two match points against top-ranked Belgian Justine Henin en route to an 0-6 7-5 6-3 triumph.

If Williams can win again, she would tie German great Steffi Graf for most singles titles in tournament history.

Henin, who skipped the Indian Wells event, returns to the fray in Florida.

Also gunning for Williams's title will be her sister, Venus, rising Serbian stars Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

Ivanovic solidified her hold on the world number two ranking with a convincing win over Kuznetsova in the Indian Wells women's final.

Jankovic took over the number three spot in the world rankings with her run to the semi-finals in California while Kuznetsova arrives in Miami in the world number four spot after her third runner-up finish of 2008.

One notable absentee is Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova, who withdrew after her semi-final defeat in California complaining of a shoulder injury.

Tennis mum Lindsay Davenport, who was forced to retire from her quarter-final match in Indian Wells with a back injury, remained hopeful that she would bounce back in time to compete in Miami.

AFP