The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sharapova sees win as another step up
Djokovic, Wawrinka triumph in return from injury layoffs.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — It wasn’t Maria Sharapova’s choice to miss the last Australian Open. That decision was taken out of her hands because of a doping ban following a failed test on her previous visit to Melbourne Park.
The five-time major champion said it was her choice to return, though, and she relished every moment of it in Tuesday’s 6-1, 6-4 victory over Tatjana Maria.
“With that choice I know that I face difficulties and challenges on the court, and that I start from no ranking and that I might start on some outside courts, and I understand that and that’s part of the process,” said Sharapova, the 2008 Australian Open champ.
She was banned for 15 months after testing positive for meldonium, not long after the medication was added to the list of banned substances, when she was in Australia in 2016.
So when Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open, Sharapova was sick in bed and watching on TV.
She returned in April and, because of her slide down the rankings, needed some wild-card entries to enter tournaments. She made her return to the majors at the U.S. Open, and finished the year ranked No. 60.
“I learned what it feels like to be on the ground and seeing life from the ground, and I’m not shying away from any part of that,” she said. “I’m a competitor and that’s why I continue to do it.”
Elsewhere, six-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and 2014 winner Stan Wawrinka won in their return from injuries that had sidelined them since Wimbledon. Top-ranked Simona Halep recovered from 5-2 down in the first set, and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber won her 10th consecutive match.
Defending champion Roger Federer just picked up where he left off, beating Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in a night match, his first on Rod Laver Arena since clinching a career-reviving title in Melbourne last year.
The 19-time major champion has been met on court after previous wins by tennis greats Laver, John McEnroe and Jim Courier.
On Tuesday night, he got something different. Comedian Will Ferrell stepped out of the crowd and, slipping into character as Ron Burgundy, conducted the postmatch interview.
As usual, the 36-year-old Federer stayed classy.
Djokovic tweaked his service motion while recovering from an injured right elbow, and used it to good effect in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win over Donald Young.
“Obviously I wanted to start with the right intensity, which I have,” Djokovic said. “I played perfect tennis, like I never stopped.”
Wawrinka, who had six months out after surgery on his left knee, beat Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (2).
Madison Keys became the only one of the four American women who contested the U.S. Open semifinals four months ago to reach the second round in Australia.
The 17th-seeded Keys, the U.S. Open runner-up, beat Wang Qiang 6-1, 7-5 and was one of only four American women who made it through the opening two days.
Halep ended a run of backto-back first-round exits in Melbourne by beating wildcard entry Destanee Aiava 7-6 (5), 6-1. Former No. 1 Kerber, the No. 21 seed, beat AnnaLena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4.