MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian tennis star beat the world 59th female tennis player 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-1 after 2-hour-and-20-minute action on the court.
US Open is the first major Grand Slam event for Sharapova after she was disqualified for 15 months over alleged doping abuse. Next up for her is a US finalist, either Sachia Vickery or Sofia Kenin.
Russia’s Daria Kasatkina has meanwhile beaten China’s qualifier Wang Qiang 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of US Open and will next face Christina McHale, who has triumphed over 19-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.