Russian star grabs gritty win

So much about Maria Sharapova was the same as it ever was during her first Grand Slam match since a 15-month doping suspension: the shot-punctuating shrieks, the aggressive baseline style, the terrific returning, the sometimes-shaky serving.

Another familiar sight: The five-time major champion gutted out a victory.

Sharapova recovered after faltering midway through the match and emerged to beat No 2-seeded Simona Halep 6-4 4-6 6-3 at the US Open in New York yesterday to reach the second round.

‘‘This girl has a lot of grit and she’s not going anywhere,’’ Sharapova told the crowd in an on-court interview.

After leading by a set and 4-1 in the second, Sharapova showed some fatigue and rust, dropping five games in a row. But in the third, Sharapova regained control by going ahead 3-0, using her power to keep two-time French Open runner-up Halep under pressure.

Sharapova had not played at a Grand Slam tournament since January 2016, when she tested positive for the newly banned heart drug meldonium during the Australian Open. It was as if every one of Sharapova’s winners - and she compiled 60, 45 more than Halep - was her way of declaring ‘‘I’m back!’’

When a Halep shot sailed long to end the match, Sharapova dropped to her knees on court, then covered her face as her eyes welled with tears.

‘‘I just thought that was another day, another opportunity, another match,’’ Sharapova said. ‘‘But this was so much more. I tried not to think about it.’’

Earlier, seven-time major champion Venus Williams picked up a 6-3 3-6 6-2 victory against Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia, a 19-year-old qualifier who is ranked 135th, joining past Wimbledon winners Garbine Muguruza and Petra Kvitova in the second round.

But No 7 seed Johanna Konta, a Wimbledon semifinalist just last month, was bounced by 78th-ranked Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia 4-6 6-3 6-4.

‘‘I don’t take anything for granted,’’ Konta said. ‘‘I think it would be quite obnoxious of me to come in here expecting I have a right to be in second week.’’

And in another surprise, 13th-seeded Jack Sock of the United States was eliminated 6-2 7-6 (12) 1-6 5-7 6-4 by 73rdranked Jordan Thompson of Australia.