Sharapova into round two

Sharapova: Three-set win

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Maria Sharapova's injury comeback continued with a three-set 6-4 6-7 6-1 victory over Ai Sugiyama in the first round of the Stanford Classic on Monday.

Recovering slowly after shoulder surgery last year, the three-time grand slam-winning Russian conceded she needs more matches to get her form back.

"I had so many chances to close out the match and I didn't," said Sharapova, currently ranked 62nd in the world. "I couldn't raise my level when had to.

"But in the third set I didn't do anything wrong, I was steady and kept doing the right things."

Sharapova looked comfortable in winning the opening set but then squandered a 5-2 lead in the second.

She was unable to cash in on two match points leading 6-4 in the tiebreaker, double faulting and committing a backhand error.

Japan's Sugiyama went ahead with a backhand winner and then took the tiebreaker 8-6 after Sharapova netted a backhand.

However, the former world number one produced a fine array of groundstrokes and returns to turn the match around in the deciding set.

Meanwhile, Anne Keothavong suffered a first-round loss, the British number one going down 6-1 6-4 to Russia's Elena Dementieva.

Seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland also reached the second round with a 6-0 6-1 demolition of Romania's Sorana Cirstea.