Maria slips into routine

– Maria Sharapova (above) said yesterday she was delighted to be back in the old routine after a trying 2017 as she sailed into the second round of the Australian Open.

It was the Russian star’s first match in Melbourne for two years, having tested positive for performance-enhancing meldonium in Australia in 2016 and only returning from a 15-month doping ban last April.

And she sealed a 6-1, 6-4 victory in style with an ace against Germany’s Tatjana Maria in an hour and 18 minutes.

“I felt like I have got a lot of things out of the way physically, emotionally and mentally last year,” said Sharapova, who only returned to Grand Slam action at the US Open, where she reached the last-16.

“In 2017 there were a lot of firsts again for me, playing the first tournament, the first Grand Slam.

“But it felt pretty routine today, just really happy to be back here.”

On paper this should have been a close match. Sharapova, who is climbing her way back up the tennis ladder following her ban, is ranked 48th with her German opponent one place higher.

But the gulf in class and experience between Sharapova, who has won 36 singles titles, and the 30-year-old journeywoman yet to register a WTA title was evident from the opening exchanges.

The 2008 Australian Open champion raced into a 2-0 lead, holding her own serve to love and then breaking the German three times with ease to take the first set 6-1 in 32 minutes.

Sharapova next faces either 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko. – AFP