Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber win Australian Open first-round matches
Pliskova and Garcia also ease through as seeds battle back on day two
Thursday 24 May 2018 14:26, UK
2008 champion Maria Sharapova beat Tatjana Maria to advance into the second round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Sharapova is a four-time finalist in Melbourne and reached the quarter-final on her last appearance in 2016 - the tournament where she failed a drug test and was subsequently banned from the sport for two years.
But she also has happy memories, having claimed the title in 2008 with victory over Ana Ivanovic.
Having made her return to Grand Slam tennis at the US Open in September, where she reached the fourth round, she is among the contenders in a wide-open women's event, although she will have to navigate a tough quarter if she is to do so.
The Russian raced through the first set against her German opponent but she was forced to battle back from a break down in the second set before firing down an ace to seal a 6-1 6-4 victory that sees her through to a meeting with 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova.
"It's been a couple of years since I have been back here, every point was always going to count no matter who I was up against and it was very meaningful for me to be out here," Sharapova said after her victory.
"Like everyone in the draw we know it is going to get tougher with every match you play. I have a potentially tough one in the next round who I have had a lot of trouble against over the last few months.
"It's a challenge but that's why it called a Grand Slam."
After day one saw six seeds fall from the bottom half of the women's draw, day two in the top half saw the big names hit back - with 2016 champion Angelique Kerber leading the way.
The German endured a disappointing 2017, having claimed her first two Grand Slam singles titles in 2016, and is seeded a lowly 21st in Melbourne. But at the scene of her first major title she was a dominant 6-0 6-4 winner over compatriot Anna-Leda Friedsam.
Kerber will next face Donna Vekic in a high profile second round match while a possible blockbuster meeting with Sharapova looms in the third round.
Top-seeded Simona Halep overcame an injured left ankle and a 5-2 deficit in the first set to beat Australian wildcard entry Destanee Aiava 7-6 (7-5) 6-1, but two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova bowed out in a tight and tense 6-3 4-6 10-8 defeat to Andrea Petkovic.
World No 3 Garbine Muguruza wore heavy strapping on her injured right thigh as she laboured to a 6-4 6-3 victory against wildcard Jessika Ponchet.
Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova, a potential fourth-round opponent for Johanna Konta, is still seeking a first Grand Slam title and was an early winner on day two, beating Veronica Cepede Royg.
Pliskova has reached at least the last eight in four of the last five Grand Slams but has been unable to make her major breakthrough. A quarter-finalist in Melbourne last year and a runner-up at the 2016 US Open, Pliskova as well as Konta, has been talked up as a major winner in waiting and she got off to the best possible start.
Eighth seed Caroline Garcia was forced to battle before eventually coming through a tough contest against Germany's Carina Witthoeft 7-5 6-3 while 29th seed Lucie Safarova also reached the second round, accounting for Australian wild card Ajla Tomljanovic and 16th seed Elena Vesnina was a comfortable winner over Ons Jabeur.
