Sharapova shines on winning return
Print Edition
Maria Sharapova made a winning return from injury on Tuesday by beating Viktoria Kuzmova 7-6 (8), 6-0 to reach the second round of the Mallorca Open.
The five-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the end of January after taking time out to recover from a shoulder injury, but edged a tight opening set against Kuzmova before strolling through the second.
Victory on the grass will come as a timely boost to morale for Sharapova, with the start of Wimbledon now less than two weeks away.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my first win in about three or four months,鈥 Sharapova said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be here in Mallorca. What a great place to train and have a warm-up tournament. It鈥檚 been amazing for all of us here, and it鈥檚 just been nice to experience it for the first time.鈥
Angelique Kerber now awaits Sharapova in round two after the top-seeded German defeated Belgium鈥檚 Ysaline Bonaventure 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. Kerber has struggled for form herself this year but is likely to offer a sterner test than Kuzmova, the Slovak ranked 46th in the world and who is still only 21.
Sharapova鈥檚 own ranking has dipped to 86 during her absence, meaning the Russian needed a wildcard to enter the draw in Mallorca.
Earlier, another former major champion crashed out as France鈥檚 Caroline Garcia came from behind to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. The world No. 28 will now face Spain鈥檚 Paula Badosa Gibert for a place in the third round.
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