Maria’s plan comes together

MARIA SHARAPOVA said she had executed “a great plan” to beat fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova to reach the quarter-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

Former world No1 Sharapova, who was playing her second match since serving a 15-month ban for taking the banned drug meldonium, won 7-5, 6-1 in just one hour and 20 minutes.

“Being in the quarter-finals here again is quite special,” said Sharapova, who will next meet Anett Kontaveit, of Estonia.

“Being the second match and playing yesterday and getting all the emotions out, I feel I settled down a little bit today.

“I was able to focus on my game and I executed a great plan.”

Elsewhere, world No2 and defending champion Angelique Kerber was beaten 6-2, 7-5 by France’s Kristina Mladenovic in the second round.