Williams sisters kept separate

The Williams sisters will be kept apart in Miami

Venus and Serena Williams have been kept apart in the draw for the Ericsson Open which begins on Wednesday in Miami.

Fifth seed Serena is in the bottom half of the draw, alongside world number two Lindsay Davenport and Belgium's Kim Clijsters, both of whom she beat at Indian Wells last week.

Venus, the third seed, is in the top half and if she progresses, as she is expected, to the semi-finals, she is likely to meet world number one Martina Hingis.

If both sisters were to win all their respective matches, then they will only meet in the final.

But a cloud still hangs over the fitness of Venus, who withdrew from last week's semi-final against Serena with tendinitis in her knee.