Tennis: Sharapova slams 'second-hand' Brisbane event as men take over

BRISBANE -- Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova said the Brisbane International felt like "a second-hand event" with women relegated to outside courts to make way for men playing the inaugural ATP Cup.

The WTA tournament is being run alongside the Brisbane leg of the men's new team tournament, which has taken over centre court at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens blasted organisers on Tuesday, accusing them of favouring the male players and not respecting women, with Sharapova also weighing in.

"You definitely recognise it and notice it," she said, with even Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty, who is his hugely popular in Brisbane, relegated to an outside court.

"It feels like a little bit of a second-hand event."


The ATP Cup's last round-robin matches in Brisbane are on Wednesday, meaning the women can only play on centre court from Thursday.

Under the ATP Cup's innovative tournament rules, on-court coaching is allowed and team zones are in the corners of the court, rather than on the sidelines by the umpire.

Sharapova, who crashed in the first round to American Jennifer Brady on Tuesday evening, suggested this could be a reason why women were not allowed to share centre court.

"It's definitely a bit of a strange strategic move," she said of favouring the men.

"I'm not sure (but) I heard that because the way that the court is constructed, that it's not regulation for us to be playing on centre court with the benches on the side.

"I don't know what else it might be that's preventing (us playing there), because I think there's a lot of girls that are deserving of that centre court spot in this draw.

"Everyone should have a conversation about it, that's just my outside view," she added.

Barty heads a high-quality field in Brisbane, which includes four of the women's top five.

Stephens, who is on the WTA players' council, said it was clear women had been sidelined.

"We just weren't in the conversation to even be considered," she said.

"It was what the ATP wanted -- they got what they wanted, girls to the side, that's kind of how it always is."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Serena proves too strong for Sharapova in U.S. Open showdown

NEW YORK - Serena Williams trounced old foe Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-1 in their blockbuster first-round clash at the U.S. Open on Monday to get her quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title off to a flying start.

Williams, returning to the U.S. Open after last year's infamous final in which her row with the chair umpire overshadowed Naomi Osaka's maiden Grand Slam victory, used her trademark power to overwhelm Sharapova in the first New York meeting between two of the sport's biggest names.

Eighth seed Williams showed no signs of the back spasms that forced her to retire in tears from the Toronto final two weeks ago and instead showcased some of her best on-court movement since returning from maternity leave in 2018.

"The body is good," Williams told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I feel good. My back is a lot better so I'm excited. This is going to be fun."

The rivals, who have had a frosty relationship that dates back to 2004 when Sharapova earned her breakout win against Williams in that year's Wimbledon final, came out firing right from the start.

Sharapova did her best to trade big shots with Williams but it quickly became apparent she simply did not have the same high gear she used to collect five Grand Slam titles.

The Russian has fallen to 87th in the rankings during an injury-hit season that included shoulder surgery in February.

Williams, dialed-in throughout the 59-minute encounter, got the first break of the match to go ahead 3-1 and that appeared to free up the six-time champion's playing style as she did not give Sharapova any chance to wrestle away momentum.

The 37-year-old Williams, facing Sharapova for the first time since the 2016 Australian Open, kept pressing and grabbed a double-break for a 5-1 lead and went on to serve out the set.

Sharapova had chances to punch back in the second set but was unable to cash in on any of the five break points she had, the first two while trailing 2-1 and then another three while behind 4-1.

Williams, who improved to 20-2 in career meetings with the Russian, will next face Catherine McNally after the American wildcard beat Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 6-4 6-1 earlier in the day.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Ian Ransom/Peter Rutherford)

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Tennis: Serena v Sharapova to headline Day One at U.S. Open

NEW YORK - There will be no shortage of big-name players in action when the U.S. Open begins on Monday but the talk around New York for days has centered around the marquee matchup between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Williams and Sharapova - for years the two most recognizable names in women's tennis - will open the evening session at Arthur Ashe Stadium with their first-ever New York meeting in a match that may just have the feel of a championship final.

"Of course I'm going to watch it," defending U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka told reporters. "I know you all are going to watch it. I think everyone in New York is going to watch it.

"At every Grand Slam there is always some sort of drama. You know what I mean? Like a first round. Like, Oh, my God. So this match just happens to be that for this tournament."

Eighth seed Williams, who is seeking a record-tying 24th career Grand Slam title, owns a commanding 19-2 career record against Sharapova, who last beat the American in 2004 and has fallen to 87th in the rankings amid an injury-hit 2019 season.

"Definitely. That's going to be a match to watch," said Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu, who is seeded 15th and plays her first match on Tuesday.

Among the other top names in action on Day One of the year's final Grand Slam are defending champion Novak Djokovic, five-times winner Roger Federer, Australian world number two Ash Barty and Venus Williams.

While that talented group will surely draw plenty of attention, the anticipation for their respective matches will pale in comparison to the Williams-Sharapova matchup.

Williams and Sharapova have not played each other since the 2016 Australian Open. They were set to meet last year at the French Open but Williams withdrew injured moments before their fourth-round match.

While five-times Grand Slam champion Sharapova may be far from her top form, she could still present a challenge for Williams, who has not competed since retiring from the Toronto final against Andreescu with back spasms.

And while their clash is highly anticipated, not everyone in the tennis world is planning their day around the match.

"There are a lot of other quality first rounds. It's not the only first round in the draw," said French Open champion Barty, who kicks off the action at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan.

"I think more importantly I'm focused on my first round on Monday, and that's all I'm worried about for the moment." 

(Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

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Tennis: Returning Sharapova inspired by 'ultimate fighter' Nadal

SANTA PONSA, Mallorca - Maria Sharapova says she will draw inspiration from Rafael Nadal's incredible powers of recovery as she resumes her injury-hit career on the Spanish great's island next week.

The 32-year-old Russian has not played a competitive match since pulling out of the St Petersburg Open in January and underwent surgery on her right shoulder a few weeks later.

She returns to action next week at the Mallorca Open grasscourt event as she prepares for Wimbledon, the tournament that launched her to fame and fortune 15 years ago when she claimed the title as a teenager.

Sharapova was already training on grass in the sunshine Balearic isle while Nadal was winning his record-extending 12th French Open last weekend, having battled back from knee injuries.

"He is the ultimate fighter and an amazing example of what you can achieve if you have the will and the passion for what you do," Sharapova said on Sunday.

"I've always admired the way he has fought through all the injuries he's had and he's the greatest example of that.

"The sport is so physical, especially the way he plays, but brings an optimistic perspective on his work that he can come back and be a champion. He is extremely motivated."

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova, ranked 86th in the world, says she is pain free and happy to be back on court, although admits the real test will be in matches.

"The shoulder is doing well, I took my time in order to come back to my first event and feel that I have a really good chance at it," Sharapova told Reuters.

"With every match it will be a good test, but I need to get it out into the battlefield to test it.

"You can heal all you want but when you get back to your sport it's a different ball game."

Sharapova admits few people will "give her a shot" at challenging for the Wimbledon title, but believes she has a chance of making an impact if her shoulder holds up.

Most of all, however, she is excited to return with her passion for the sport intact after so many injury setbacks and also missing 15 months because of a doping ban.

"I still have many expectations on myself even though I think I also have many opportunities to do other things," said Sharapova.

"But this sport is very unique and special and I enjoy trying to be better every day."

She said she hopes the decision to undergo surgery will allow her to start enjoying the sport again.

"Before it was about pain management, I wasn't really enjoying playing because after every match I was thinking about what I needed to do to help my shoulder," she said.

"There were some great matches at the start of the year but once I played that first match in St Petersburg I knew that I needed a clear mind."

Asked why she selected Mallorca for her return, she looked up to the blue skies.

"It's a great place to train," she said. "The conditions here are maybe better than the rain delays you may have in England, maybe playing a couple of matches in a day."

Sharapova is scheduled to play her first match on Tuesday. 

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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Former champs Sharapova, Kvitova crash out of Wimbledon

LONDON -- Maria Sharapova suffered her first opening round Wimbledon defeat and earliest Grand Slam exit in eight years on Tuesday when she was shocked by fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko, the world number 132.

Sharapova, the 2004 champion, was joined at the exit by 2011 and 2014 winner Petra Kvitova who was stunned by Belarusian world number 50 Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

However, two-time men's champion Rafael Nadal and three-time winner Novak Djokovic eased into the second round.

Sharapova was cruising to victory at one stage on Court Two with a set and 5-2 lead before qualifier Diatchenko shrugged off a back injury to win 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 after more than three hours of tense action.

Sharapova, playing Wimbledon for the first time in three years after missing 2016 through a drugs ban and 2017 due to injury, gave up the match on her 11th double fault.

It was her earliest exit at a Slam since a first round defeat at the 2010 Australian Open.

"It's always tough to assess your motivation levels after a first round loss but I won't shy away from learning from my errors," said 31-year-old Sharapova.

Eighth seed Kvitova was the bookmakers' favourite for a third Wimbledon crown after winning five titles in 2018, including the grass-court tournament at Birmingham last weekend, while amassing an WTA Tour-leading 38 match victories.

But she slumped to a disappointing 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 loss to Sasnovich.

"When I was younger, I played better on the Grand Slams than the other tournaments. Now is the time when I'm playing better on the other tournaments than the Grand Slams," said the 28-year-old Czech.

Kvitova is the fourth top 10 women's seed to lose in the first round.

Number four Sloane Stephens and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina were eliminated on Monday.

France's Caroline Garcia, seeded six, was also beaten Tuesday, going down 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 to Switzerland's Belinda Bencic.

World number one Nadal breezed into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over Israel's Dudi Sela as the Spaniard returned to action for the first time since claiming his 11th French Open title.

Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010, also managed to avoid falling victim to a player ranked outside the world top 100 for what would have been the fifth time in his last six visits to the All England Club.

"I'm just happy to be through of course and yes, this match gives me positive feelings," said Nadal after seeing off world number 127 Sela.

Nadal, the 17-time major winner, has not got past the fourth round since finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2011.

Djokovic reached the second round with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 win over Tennys Sandgren of the United States.

Djokovic, seeded 12, was back at the tournament where last year he was forced to retire from his quarter-final against Tomas Berdych with an elbow injury.

"I thought it was overall quite a solid match. I think he made a lot of errors," said Djokovic.

After sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov was sent packing on Monday, it was the turn of French Open runner-up Dominic Thiem and Belgium's David Goffin to pack their bags.

Austrian seventh seed Thiem retired with a back injury against Cypriot veteran Marcos Baghdatis, trailing 6-4, 7-5, 2-0.

Goffin, the 10th seed, slumped to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Australia's Matthew Ebden.

Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro made it nine first round wins in nine appearances at the tournament, easing past Germany's Peter Gojowczyk 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Del Potro, who made the semi-finals in 2013, next faces Feliciano Lopez of Spain who on Tuesday set a record of playing 66 consecutive Grand Slams when he eased past Federico Delbonis of Argentina 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

The 36-year-old broke the record for straight Slams which was previously held by Roger Federer.

"When I was about to break the record, I thought, wow, I'm going to beat Federer at something!" joked the 70th-ranked Lopez who has lost all 13 matches he has played against Federer in his career.

German fourth seed Alexander Zverev beat world number 748 James Duckworth of Australia 7-5, 6-2, 6-0.

World number one Simona Halep started her challenge for a first Wimbledon title with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Japan's Kurumi Nara.

Halep has arrived at the All England Club on a high after finally winning her maiden Grand Slam crown at the French Open last month.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza opened her title defence with a 6-2, 7-5 win over British wild card Naomi Broady.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios, who famously stunned Nadal at the tournament in 2014, marked his 50th match at the majors with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.

Kyrgios, seeded 15, hammered down 42 aces and unleashed 78 winners.

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Nadal, Sharapova eye French Open semi-finals

Rafael Nadal sets his sights on a 27th Grand Slam semi-final when he faces Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in the French Open quarter-finals on Wednesday while Marin Cilic tackles Juan Martin del Potro in a battle of former US Open champions.

In the women's last-eight, Maria Sharapova faces fellow former Paris champion Garbine Muguruza.

Top seed Simona Halep, twice a runner-up, takes on two-time major winner Angelique Kerber.

Rafael Nadal vs Diego Schwartzman

Nadal heads into his semi-final clash still on course for an incredible 11th French Open title, having not even dropped a set at Roland Garros since losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals.

The world number one has won all five of his meetings with 11th seed Schwartzman. The Argentinian said that the story of David and Goliath inspired him in a remarkable comeback from two sets down against Kevin Anderson, who is 13 inches taller than him, in the last 16.

But he will need an even more Herculean effort to get past Nadal, although he did take a set off the great Spaniard when they met in the Australian Open fourth round earlier this year.

Marin Cilic vs Juan Martin del Potro

This has been a surprisingly one-sided rivalry between the two former US Open champions, with Del Potro having won his last seven matches against Cilic, only dropping sets during that time in a thrilling 2016 Davis Cup final clash.

But the Croatian is still one of the best players in the world, having lost both the Wimbledon and Australian Open finals to Roger Federer over the last 12 months.

Cilic expects some lengthy sets between the two big servers: "You never know what's going to come. Obviously, you can expect one or two tie-breaks are going to happen."

Maria Sharapova vs Garbine Muguruza

Sharapova, the champion in 2012 and 2014, made her first quarter-finals at the majors since her return from a doping ban when she was handed a walkover out of the fourth round by an injured Serena Williams.

The five-time Grand Slam champion, in her first Roland Garros since 2015, was 3-0 down in the final set of her first round clash against Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp but has been impressive since, knocking out sixth seed Karolina Pliskova in the third round.

Muguruza, the 2016 winner in Paris and reigning Wimbledon champion, has been unruffled and made the last-eight when Lesia Tsurenko retired after just two games of their last-16 clash.

Sharapova beat the Spaniard in three sets at the tournament in 2014.

Simona Halep vs Angelique Kerber

World number one Halep, the runner-up in 2014 and 2017, survived a first round scare to defeat America's Alison Riske but has been in cruise control ever since, happily going under the radar to make the quarter-finals.

In the last-16, she dropped just three games to see off Australian Open semi-finalist Elise Mertens in under an hour.

Kerber, a former US and Australian Ooen champion and ex-number one is in her second quarter-final in Paris, six years after her first.

The German left-hander had lost in the first round in the last two years.

Halep won their most recent encounter, 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 in the Australian Open semi-finals in January.

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Wawrinka crashes, Djokovic through as rains halts Nadal and Sharapova

PARIS, France -- Former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka was dumped out in the first round by Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Monday, a defeat which will send his world ranking plummeting, while late evening rain halted Rafael Nadal's first match in his pursuit of an 11th Roland Garros title.

When play was called off just before 2000 (1800GMT), world number one Nadal was 6-4, 6-3, 0-3 ahead of Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli.

The downpours also prevented two-time champion Maria Sharapova from starting her opener against Richel Hogenkamp of the Netherlands.

But there were no such problems for 2016 champion Novak Djokovic or Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki who both cruised through to the second round before the rains came.

Wawrinka, who lost to Nadal in last year's final and won the 2015 title, was beaten in a five-set thriller 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 by the Spanish world number 67 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

The 33-year-old has been plagued by a knee injury and arrived at Roland Garros having won just one match on clay in Geneva last week, his first event in three months.

The defeat means that the three-time Grand Slam champion will slip from 30th in the world to outside the top 250 after the tournament, having failed to defend the ranking points he gained in 2017.

"There is no frustration (at rankings slip). It's just tough," said Wawrinka, seeded 23rd this year.

"But again, I knew from the beginning that it will take a long, a lot of time to get back. I knew that from the surgery that it will take a year at least to get where I want to be."

There were worrying signs for his fans when he pulled up and called for a medical timeout after just six games, but he played down fears he had caused further damage to his already troublesome left knee.

"My knee is good. I blocked something else at the beginning of the first set, and that's why I had to ask," he said.

The 23rd seed found his rhythm from nowhere after a poor first set, crunching two massive forehands to break for a 3-1 lead in the second.

- Djokovic eases through -

Serbian star Djokovic had little trouble in reaching round two, though, seeing off Brazilian world number 134 Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion dropped serve three times and will have to markedly improve to challenge Nadal in the latter stages of the tournament, but he was still far too good for Dutra Silva on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"It was good to start this year with a win. I wasn't at my best, he played with a lot of spin. I didn't play very well, but I won in three sets," said the 20th seed, who will next face Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar.

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka's return to Grand Slam tennis lasted just two sets as the Belarusian slumped to a 7-5, 7-5 loss to Katerina Siniakova.

Azarenka, who missed much of last season after being embroiled in a custody battle over her son, was broken to love in the 12th games of each set to be dumped out by the Czech world number 57.

It was Azarenka's first Grand Slam match since losing to Simona Halep in the Wimbledon fourth round last July, but she still believes she can return to the top of the game.

"No doubt about it. Maybe not today, but no doubt about it," the now-world number 82 insisted.

Petra Kvitova also found life hard, but the two-time Wimbledon champion fought back from a set down to beat Paraguay's Veronica Cepede Royg 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"I've won 12 matches straight on clay, but I'm still a long way from Rafa," she said in reference to Nadal's upcoming bid for an 11th men's singles crown.

Wozniacki held off the challenge of American Danielle Collins to ease through their match 7-6 (7/2) 6-1, while men's seventh seed Dominic Thiem, a semi-finalist in each of the last two years, brushed aside Ilya Ivashka in three sets.


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Tennis: Kerber thrashes Sharapova to reach fourth round

MELBOURNE - Maria Sharapova's hopes of a title-winning return to the Australian Open were unceremoniously crushed by Angelique Kerber as the battle of the former champions ended 6-1 6-3 in the German's favour on Saturday.

The Rod Laver Arena evening clash between the only two grand slam winners left in the women's draw had the feel of a showpiece final rather than a third-round clash but it was Kerber who rose to the occasion.

Sharapova, back in Melbourne after testing positive for a banned substance here in 2016 resulting in a 15-month ban, had looked menacing in the opening two rounds.

But Kerber, who plummeted down the rankings last year after finishing the year before at number one, broke her serve in the first game of the match and that set the tone for what followed.

She streaked away with the first set and although 2008 champion Sharapova briefly threatened a fightback after falling behind in the second, it was not to be the Russian's night.

A fluffed drop shot attempt at 3-4 followed by an unforced error gave 2016 champion Kerber breathing space and she finished the contest in the next game. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

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Tennis: Sharapova gets patience test with Melbourne set to sizzle

MELBOURNE—Maria Sharapova returns to Rod Laver Arena for the first time since her drug ban for a second round match against Anastasija Sevastova on Thursday as players, officials and fans alike prepare for sweltering heat at the Australian Open.

The former world No. 1, who missed last year's tournament because of her ban for the use of a banned substance, takes on the Latvian 14th seed in the first match on the main show court so she should escape the worst of the heat.

Temperatures are forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday and Friday but it is those on the more exposed outer courts who usually suffer most during the annual scorcher at Melbourne Park.

Sharapova lost a fourth round match in three sets to Sevastova on her return to grand slam tennis at the U.S. Open last year but got a measure of revenge in another tight clash at the China Open.

Australian Open champion a decade ago, Sharapova said she would not be looking to race through their third match in five months.

"It's not an easy match, not an easy match for anyone, especially for an aggressive player like I am," she said.

"You know, she's an opponent that tests my patience, and I'm willing to be there and out there for as long as it takes."

Another former champion, Novak Djokovic, is also likely to have his patience tested in his second match on the same court later in the day with mercurial Frenchman Gael Monfils having made something of a speciality of producing the unexpected.

Although six-times Melbourne champion Djokovic has won all 14 of their meetings at the elite level, his near contemporary is sure to fully test the fitness of the elbow that kept the Serbian on the sidelines for the second half of last year.

The meeting between Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard might bring a little frost to a hot day as the top seed and world number one said last year she did not talk to the Canadian, who beat her in the 2014 Wimbledon semi-finals.

Halep, who turned her ankle in her opening victory over local Destanee Aiava on Tuesday, will face Bouchard in the evening on Margaret Court Arena before Stan Wawrinka continues his comeback against Tennys Sandgren.

Wawrinka's fellow Swiss Roger Federer resumes his title defence against German Jan-Lennard Struff with top five seeds Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem also in action on day four.

Top seed Rafa Nadal, who will play his third round match against Bosnian 28th seed Damir Dzumhur on another scorcher on Friday, urged organizers close the roofs of the showcourts if the heat became extreme, to preserve players and fans.

"I think it's a health issue ... When it's too much, (it) becomes dangerous for the health," he said.

"I would not like to see here retirements. Conditions that create a bad show for the crowd. The crowd is suffering, too, there."

Order of Play: (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

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Tennis: Djokovic, Sharapova back in business at Australian Open

MELBOURNE -- Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka sailed through injury tests at the Australian Open on Tuesday with focused former champion Maria Sharapova also successfully getting back to business after her drug ban.

Twelve-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic has been out of action for six months with an elbow injury, but you wouldn't have known it in his 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 demolition of American Donald Young.

Former Melbourne champion Wawrinka also returned from half a year on the sidelines after knee surgery, having only decided he was fit to play at the weekend.

With the temperatures heating up, he was pushed to four sets by Ricardas Berankis before prevailing 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) in a tough workout he said was "proud" to come through.

Djokovic, gunning for a seventh Australian Open title, was also glad to be back, having missed the competitive edge.

"I wanted to start with the right intensity, which I have," he told the cheering crowd afterwards. "I played perfect tennis in the first couple of sets and Donald came back in the third set."

World number one Simona Halep booked her place in round two, avoiding the first round exit that befell her in the past two years. But she made a meal of it against local hope Destanee Aiava.

Both the Romanian and her 17-year-old wildcard opponent needed on-court medical attention before the top seed ran out a battling 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 winner.

Sharapova, still working her way back from a 15-month ban for taking the performance-enhancing substance meldonium in Australia in 2016, showed glimpses of the tennis that made her a five-time major winner.

The 2008 Melbourne Park champion, now ranked 48, beat Germany's Tatjana Maria, 6-1, 6-4, in her first Melbourne match in two years.

"I cherish these moments. I love it here," said the Russian, who returned from her drugs ban in April last year. "It's been a couple of years and I wanted it to be really meaningful to me."

Goodbye 2017

Fellow former world number one Angelique Kerber, who won the tournament in 2016, was also impressive in dismissing Anna-Lena Friedsam, 6-0, 6-4.

"2017, I have said goodbye already, I am not looking back," she said after a forgettable last season that saw her relinquish the number one spot and slide down the rankings.

She is now on a 10-match win streak after a perfect early season.

Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova and eighth seed Caroline Garcia also progressed, in contrast to the other side of the draw that saw Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe crash out on Monday.

American woes continued with Madison Brengle sent packing by British ninth seed Johanna Konta.

Young gun Alexander Zverev, seeded four, and Belgian seventh seed David Goffin were among men to make the second round.

But Canada's Milos Raonic, who has made at least the last eight over the past three years in Melbourne, was bundled out by 86th-ranked Slovakian Lukas Lacko in four sets.

It was his earliest Grand Slam exit in seven years as he fights back from a wrist injury.

Roger Federer, rated as favorite to win his 20th Grand Slam title even at the venerable age of 36, makes his entrance in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.

The second seeded Swiss, who is coming off an extraordinary 2017, when he won a fifth Australian Open title and a record eighth at Wimbledon, faces Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene.

Third seeded Garbine Muguruza also makes her bow in an evening match.

Former world number one Pliskova was among those to move smoothly into the second round, with a steady 6-3, 6-4 win over Veronica Cepede Royg.

"I'll take it match by match and I think I have a good chance," said the tall tattooed Czech, who made the quarter-final in Australia last year.

Sydney-born Konta also made the last eight in 2017 and showed no signs of her recent hip injury as she dismantled Brengle 6-3, 6-1.

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Shapovalov, Sharapova set to share Arthur Ashe spotlight

NEW YORK - Denis Shapovalov may not be old enough to drink in New York but is quickly becoming the toast of the Big Apple and the 18-year-old Canadian will again have a chance to light up the U.S. Open when he takes on Briton Kyle Edmund.

After knocking off eighth seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the Canadian giant killer returns to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court chasing a place in the fourth round.

Shapovalov's hit list includes back-to-back wins over U.S. Open champions Rafa Nadal and Juan Martin De Potro at the recent Rogers Cup in Montreal, and the Canadian will now try to add the 42nd ranked Edmund to his list of scalps.

Another of the tennis young guns in Croatia's Borna Coric, who took down fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the second round, finds 28th seeded South African Kevin Anderson standing between him and a fourth round berth.

Against some criticism, Maria Sharapova will be back on Arthur Ashe for the third straight match where she will face American wild card Sofia Kenin.

Playing her first grand slam since returning from a 15-month doping ban, Sharapova has enjoyed wild fan support every time she steps on to the court but not everyone is happy to see the five-time winner back in action.

Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki ripped U.S. Open organisers for putting her on an outside court while Sharapova soaked up the applause on Arthur Ashe.

"When you look at centre court, and I understand completely the business side of things, but someone who comes back from a drugs sentence, performance-enhancing drugs, and then all of a sudden gets to play every single match on centre court, I think that's a questionable thing to do," said Wozniacki. "It doesn't set a good example."

There will be no complaints from the home crowd about seeing ninth seed Venus Williams or 10th seed John Isner on the Arthur Ashe stage.

Williams, a twice U.S. Open champion, takes on Greece's Maria Sakkari before turning over the spotlight to the big-hitting Isner, who goes up against Germany's 23rd seed Mischa Zverev. (Reporting by Steve Keating in New York. Editing by Ian Ransom)

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Sharapova sees off Babos to extend New York stay

NEW YORK - Maria Sharapova extended her grand slam comeback when the former world number one defeated Hungary's Timea Babos 6-7(4) 6-4 6-1 on Wednesday to advance to the US Open third round.

The Russian, in her first appearance at a major since she returned from a 15-month doping ban in April, did not have the same inspiration that helped her beat world number two Simona Halep in the opening round.


Sharapova, who was granted a wildcard entry to the tournament, made too many unforced errors in a scrappy first set that featured six breaks of serve.

Once she found her groove midway through the second set, however, the 30-year-old, sporting a pale peach pink crystal-encrusted dress, eventually shone like a diamond, tossing Babos aside in a one-sided decider.

The Hungarian bowed out on the second match point when she sailed a backhand long, triggering a huge roar on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Russian has a clear path to the semi-finals, where she could meet tournament favourite Garbine Muguruza of Spain.

Sharapova got off to a shaky start as Babos, who mixed her game perfectly with serves to the body and sliced forehands, opened a 2-0 lead.

The Russian eventually forced a tiebreak but made a mess of a couple of forehands to hand Babos a deserved lead.

Sharapova became more vocal as she saved break points in a sixth game that proved to be the turning point of the match.

The 2006 US Open champion broke in the following game and held to clinch the second set as Babos sensed her chance was gone.

Sharapova then broke twice in the decider to move 4-1 ahead and ensure her third round place was a formality.

Although the two wins have boosted her confidence, she was not complacent as she prepares for her next match against American Sofia Kenin.

"I certainly have expectations just because I know I've been in these stages before and I've been able to execute," she said.

"There's a certain level of I know I can do this, I've done it before. I want to have that feeling again.

"But there's also the realistic understanding of 'okay, you haven't been in this situation for a while. It's going to take a little time'."

Sharapova returned to tennis in April after being banned for testing positive for meldonium at last year's Australian Open.

Her progress has been slowed by a thigh injury that forced her out of the Italian Open in May and more recently left arm issues that took her out of the second round at Stanford earlier this month. (Editing by Ed Osmond/Greg Stutchbury)

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Tennis: Sharapova sparkles on return to grand slam stage

NEW YORK -- Maria Sharapova proved she will be someone to contend with for the U.S. Open crown after the Russian wild card outlasted second seed Simona Halep, 6-4 4-6 6-3, on Monday, to get the year's final grand slam off to an electrifying start.

Still shaking off the rust from a 15-month doping ban and a string of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Sharapova needed all her skill, determination and two hours and 44 minutes to snatch victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium.

The victory becomes the highlight of what has been a torturous comeback for the former world number one, who returned to tennis in April after being banned after testing positive for metabolic modulator meldonium at last year's Australian Open.

Her progress has been slowed by a thigh injury that forced her out of the Italian Open in May and more recently left arm issues in that took her out of the second round at Stanford earlier this month.

However, there was no hint of distress against an in-form Halep as she improved her record to 7-0 against the feisty Romanian in an opening round clash that was played with the intensity more befitting of a final.

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Sharapova handed Rome wildcard as Murray hits out

ROME, Italy -- Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has been given a wildcard to play in the Italian Open in May, organizers said Wednesday.

The former world number one makes her return to the circuit in Stuttgart in April after completing a 15-month ban for doping.

"We officially announce the wild card for the 3-time Rome champion @MariaSharapova into the main draw ... " organizers announced on Twitter.

Sharapova hasn't played on tour since testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. An initial two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation was reduced to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Rome tournament runs from May 15 to May 21. She has also been handed a wildcard for the May 6-13 Madrid Open.

However, the decision to hand the Russian wildcards into three of Europe's prestigious clay court events was criticized by men's world number one Andy Murray.

"I think you should really have to work your way back," Murray told The Times.

"But most tournaments will do what they think is best for their event. If they think big names will sell more seats, they're going to do that."

Murray refused to elaborate on his standpoint on Wednesday after reaching the quarter-finals of the Dubai ATP event.

"I spoke about it yesterday and made my opinion pretty clear," said Murray.

"I have been answering questions on this honestly for over a year now, and I don't know what else I'm supposed to say."

Former world number one and 18-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was also reluctant to get involved in the Sharapova controversy after suffering a shock second round exit to Russia's Evgeny Donskoy in Dubai.

"Could see it either way, depending on who you are, and I don't know if it matters what the cause was for being banned, because at the end, it's all sort of the same. Banned is banned, you know," said the 35-year-old Swiss.

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Sharapova handed Madrid Open wildcard

BARCELONA - Former world number one Maria Sharapova has been invited to play at the Madrid Open in May, which takes place less than two weeks after her 15-month doping ban expires, tournament organizers said on Wednesday.

The five-time grand slam winner has been given a wildcard for the event, which begins on May 5.

It is scheduled to be her second comeback tournament after her suspension for doping, with the Russian set to return to action at the Stuttgart Grand Prix in April.

"Sharapova requested an invitation to play... (She) is one of the best players of the last 15 years and also a past winner of our tournament," said event director Manolo Santana.

"In Madrid she always plays well and I'm sure she will come back to the courts highly motivated and hoping to do well."

Following a positive test for the drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, the Russian was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cut the ban by nine months last October, allowing her to return from April 26.

Her case divided opinion in the sport.

The Florida-based Sharapova, who turns 30 on April 19, had called the ITF's original ruling "unfairly harsh" because she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

Meldonium was only added to the World Anti-Doping Agency list of banned substances at the start of 2016 after mounting evidence it boosted blood flow and enhanced performance.

CAS cut Sharapova's suspension but said she "bore some degree of fault" by relying on agent Max Eisenbud to check the banned list for changes and failing to ensure he had done so.

(Reporting by Richard Martin; editing by John Stonestreet and Ken Ferris)

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Sharapova to make comeback after doping ban in Stuttgart

BERLIN - Five-times grand slam champion Maria Sharapova will return to competitive action following a 15-month doping ban at the Stuttgart Grand Prix in April, the Russian said on Tuesday.

The Florida-based Sharapova was originally banned for two years after testing positive for meldonium at last year's Australian Open.

The former world number one, one of the highest paid athletes in the world in the past decade, admitted she had used meldonium for years and was not aware it had been banned since the start of 2016.

Her suspension was later cut to 15 months on appeal.

"I could not be happier to have my first match back on tour at one of my favourite tournaments," Russian Sharapova, who won the indoor clay event three years running from 2012, said on the tournament website.

"I can't wait to see all my great fans and to be back doing what I love."

She will return to action in time to contest the season's second grand slam at Roland Garros. The French Open begins on May 22.

"I'm really happy for Maria that she's back after a long break. Particularly pleasing for me is that it's going to be our audience that gets to watch her comeback live," said tournament director Markus Guenthardt.

"(It)...is certain to be one of the sporting and emotional highlights of our anniversary tournament."

Sharapova, who will turn 30 on April 19, had earned $29.7 million in 2015 as the world's highest paid female athlete.

She had called the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) original ruling "unfairly harsh" as an independent tribunal had found that she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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Sharapova to test comeback waters in Las Vegas exhibition

LOS ANGELES -- Maria Sharapova, targeting an April return to the WTA after the reduction of her doping ban, will try to start sharpening her game on Monday in the friendly confines of a charity event in Las Vegas.

The Russian superstar will play in the World Team Tennis Smash Hits event at Caesars Palace, which is hosted by Billie Jean King and Elton John for the benefit of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Her appearance alongside such stars as Martina Navratilova and Andy Roddick will delight her legion of fans, who remain faithful despite the controversy Sharapova stirred last week with her charge that the International Tennis Federation wanted to make an example of her in her doping case.

"I got a 24-month suspension, but they (the ITF) wanted four years for me," Sharapova said in an interview with US broadcaster PBS, a claim ITF officials denied.

In the same media offensive last week, Sharapova indicated to ESPN she wasn't convinced the drug meldonium, newly banned this year by the World Anti-Doping Agency, enhances performance.

"I think the one thing that I'd love to see -- and if anyone could show me -- is evidence on the performance-enhancing effect that it has," she told the US sports network.

Sharapova's initial 24-month ban for testing positive for meldonium was cut to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last Tuesday.

That CAS decision divided opinion among her peers.

"I can’t believe it actually," Australian Samantha Stosur said at a tournament in Hong Kong, calling it "remarkable" that Sharapova's ban was reduced on the argument she didn't realize a drug she'd long used had been added to the banned list.

Stosur, in comments reported in Tennis Magazine, said she thought most WTA players felt the same.

"So I wouldn’t imagine there’s a whole lot of support from the playing group," the Aussie said.

But five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova can likely expect a warm welcome in Las Vegas, where she'll arrive after a stop-off in Henderson, Nevada, to promote her candy company Sugarpova.

"Important to put this behind us for tennis and Maria," King tweeted after Sharapova's ban was reduced. "Look forward to her return to the WTA Tour@wta."

Navratilova added on Twitter: "A big price to pay for a big mistake, it will still be hard to come back for Maria. But we know how tough she is..."

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Sharapova targets April return after doping ban reduced

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova hailed the reduction of her two-year doping ban on Tuesday as one of the "happiest days" of her life, immediately targeting a return to action in April 2017.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cut Sharapova's ban to 15 months saying she was not an "intentional doper", after the 29-year-old tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open -- throwing her glittering, money-spinning career into serious jeopardy.

"I’ve gone from one of the toughest days of my career last March, when I learned about my suspension, to now, one of my happiest days, as I found out I can return to tennis in April," said Sharapova, who has racked up 35 WTA singles titles and more than $36 million in career earnings.

An April return means she would be able to compete at the French Open in May-June next year -- she is a two-time champion at Roland Garros.

Sharapova, whose ferocity on court, business acumen and glamorous looks all combined to make her a marketing juggernaut, was hit with a two-year ban by an independent tribunal appointed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Reducing the ban, the Lausanne-based CAS "found that Ms Sharapova committed an anti-doping rule violation and that while it was with 'no significant fault', she bore some degree of fault, for which a sanction of 15 months is appropriate".

And in the panel's more detailed, formal decision, it said significantly: "Under no circumstances, therefore, can the player be considered to be an 'intentional doper'."

Sharapova openly admitted she had been taking meldonium, an over-the-counter drug made in Latvia, for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency.

She always maintained that it had entirely escaped her attention that the product had been added to the banned substance list published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on January 1, just before the Australian Open.

"I have taken responsibility from the very beginning for not knowing that the over-the-counter supplement I had been taking for the last 10 years was no longer allowed," Sharapova said in her Facebook post Tuesday.

"But I also learned how much better other (sports) Federations were at notifying their athletes of the rule change, especially in Eastern Europe, where Mildronate (the trade name of meldonium) is commonly taken by millions of people."

Sharapova added: "Now that this process is over, I hope the ITF and other relevant tennis anti-doping authorities will study what these other Federations did, so that no other tennis player will have to go through what I went through."

Steve Simon, CEO of the WTA, said he backed the CAS decision.

"We are pleased that the process is now at completion and can look forward to seeing Maria back on court in 2017," he added.

'Counting the days'

Sharapova, who off the court enjoyed successful ventures such as her "Sugarpova" line of candy, helping her amass a fortune estimated at $200 million, said she was itching to get back on court.

"I’m coming back soon and I can’t wait!" she said.

"In so many ways, I feel like something I love was taken away from me and it will feel really good to have it back.

"Tennis is my passion and I have missed it. I am counting the days until I can return to the court."

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told TASS news agency: "I'm very happy for Maria, although I think that CAS should have fully lifted her suspension for a drug like meldonium."

Sharapova was intially prescribed meldonium a year after winning Wimbledon as a 17-year-old by a Russian doctor in Moscow to boost her immune system.

She burst onto the tennis scene by stealing hearts and that title at Wimbledon in 2004 before going on to clinch the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open in 2012 and 2014.

The chairman of Sharapova's tennis racquet manufacturer and sponsor, Head, was emphatic in his criticism of rulings on meldonium.

"We are very proud to have stood by Maria for the right reasons throughout these difficult and testing times," said Johan Eliasch.

Alexander Zhukov, president of Russia's Olympic Committee, said that he hopes Sharapova will be able to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, after missing out on the August Rio Games due to her suspension.

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Sharapova banned for 2 years by ITF

LONDON - The career of Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova was in tatters on Wednesday after she was given a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) following her positive test for the banned drug meldonium.

In a statement the ITF said the five-times grand slam champion's ban would be backdated to Jan. 26 this year, meaning her results and prize money from the Australian Open, where she reached the quarter-finals, would be cancelled out.

Sharapova, 29, said she would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), describing the punishment as "unfairly harsh".

She said an independent tribunal in London on May 18-19 had found that she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

A 33-page report of the tribunal's findings said: "The ITF accepts that the player did not engage in conduct that she knew constituted an antidoping rule violation," but it rejected her assertion that there was no "significant" fault on her part.

"She was the sole author of her own misfortune," it said.

On its website, the ITF said the ban, which could have been as long as four years, had been backdated due to Sharapova's "prompt admission" of taking the substance, and would end on midnight of Jan. 25, 2018.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) later issued a short statement saying it would review the decision before deciding whether to use its independent right of appeal to CAS.

Sharapova has regularly battled back from serious injuries during her glittering career but the two-year ban means she will not be eligible to play until after the 2018 Australian Open when she will be 30, and raises the question of whether she will ever play again.

"If it stands, then I think it will be difficult for her to come back at the same level," the president of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, told TASS news agency, calling for the penalty to be reduced.

TIME AND RESOURCES

Meldonium was added to WADA's list of banned substances at the start of the year after mounting evidence that it boosted blood flow and enhanced athletic performance.

Around 180 athletes have tested positive for the drug, manufactured in Latvia and common throughout eastern Europe, since January.

Sharapova, the world's highest-paid female athlete, stunned the sporting world in March when she announced that she had tested positive for meldonium, a component of a product named Mildronate which she has taken since 2006 for health issues.

At the time Sharapova, the highest-profile tennis player to fail an anti-doping test, said she had made "a huge mistake" in failing to realise that continuing to take Mildronate would be a violation of the anti-doping code.

"The ITF spent tremendous amounts of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not," she said on Facebook.

The ITF had sought a four-year suspension but the tribunal rejected that, she said.

"While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension."

The tribunal found that Sharapova had taken Mildronate before each of her five matches at this year's Australian Open where she lost to Serena Williams.

It rejected Sharapova's argument that the ITF should have informed her that she and a number of other tennis players had tested positive for meldonium in 2015 before it was added to the banned list.

"CONCEALED"

The report also said that Sharapova had not made her use of Mildronate known to most of her team, including her coach, her trainer, her physiotherapist and her nutritionist, nor any of the doctors made available to players by the WTA.

Questioning why she continued taking Mildronate before matches, the report said: "In the tribunal's view the answer is clear. Whatever the position may have been in 2006, there was in 2016 no diagnosis and no therapeutic advice supporting the continuing use of Mildronate.

"If she had not concealed her use of Mildronate from the anti-doping authorities, members of her own support team and the doctors whom she consulted, but had sought advice, then the contravention would have been avoided," it said.

The ban will have an enormous impact on Sharapova's earning potential.

Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer cut its ties with Sharapova after the news of her doping violation while other sponsors such as Porsche distanced themselves from her.

Nike however, said on Wednesday they would continue to work with Sharapova.

"The ITF Tribunal has found that Maria did not intentionally break its rules," the sports apparel giant said in a statement. "Maria has always made her position clear, has apologised for her mistake and is now appealing the length of the ban."

Sharapova has 35 WTA singles titles and has won all four of the sport's grand slam titles.

Her career earnings amount to $36 million while her off-court earnings, according to Forbes, are around $200 million.

(Editing by Clare Fallon and Robin Pomeroy)

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Sharapova to face meldonium hearing in London

Maria Sharapova will attend an International Tennis Federation anti-doping hearing in London on Wednesday, British media reported, with the Russian facing a possible ban of up to four years for failing a drugs test at the Australian Open.

The five-times grand slam champion stunned the world in March when she said she had returned a positive test for meldonium, a Latvian-made heart medication which was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA's) banned list from Jan. 1.

Sharapova, the world's highest-paid sportswoman, claimed to have been taking meldonium on doctor's orders for 10 years and had failed to note that it had become a banned substance until hearing of her failed test at the first grand slam of the year.

She was provisionally suspended on March 12 pending the hearing.

Hundreds of athletes have tested positive for meldonium this year but WADA admitted last month that their bans might be overturned due to a lack of clear scientific information on how long the drug takes to be excreted from the body.

The drug's manufacturer said traces could remain in the body for several months depending on dosage, duration of treatment and sensitivity of testing methods.

The ITF's anti-doping program calls for a four-year suspension for a failed test but it can be reduced in various circumstances, such as for first-time offences or if the player shows no significant fault or negligence. (Writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by John O'Brien)

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