Top seed Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the second round of the US Open with a straight sets victory over Chelsey Gullickson.
Top seed begins title campaign in style
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the second round of the US Open with a straight sets victory over Chelsey Gullickson.
The Danish star continued her recent impressive form as she dropped just two games en route to a 6-1 6-1 stroll over the American wild card entrant.
Wozniacki, seeded first here due to the absence of Serena Williams with a foot injury, arrived at Flushing Meadows having won in Montreal and New Haven in the space of six days last week.
And the 20-year-old, who lost to Kim Clijsters in last year's final, got her quest in New York off to a flier after proving too hot for Gullickson to handle.
Wozniacki said after her opening win: "It's a great feeling. Actually I didn't feel too nervous, I was just happy to be out there and get to play. We had waited for a long time.
"It was nice to get out there and know that the crowd was still there to support us."
Scare for Sharapova
Former champion Maria Sharapova recovered from losing the first set to beat Australia's Jarmila Groth in a match which ran over into the evening session.
Sharapova looked like she was heading for an early exit against Groth after losing the opening set 6-4 on Arthur Ashe.
But the Russian's aggressive tactics came to her rescue as she upped her game to record a 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory.
"I knew I had a tough first-round opponent, she's been playing some really good tennis," said a relieved Sharapova, who will face Iveta Benesova in round two.
"She came out firing and did not give me many opportunities and I just hung in there and fought and those are the matches you want to get through."
Elsewhere, 17th seed Nadia Petrova suffered a shock first round exit to Andrea Petkovic, the Russian losing 6-2 4-6 7-6 to her unseeded German opponent.
The 26th seed Lucie Safarovatook also crashed out to Austrian Tamira Paszek, after the world number 198 from fought back to secure a 2-6 7-5 6-2 triumph.
