MADRID (AFP) – Maria Sharapova made a winning return from injury on Tuesday by beating Viktoria Kuzmova, 7-6 (10/8), 6-0, to reach the second round of the Mallorca Open.
The five-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the end of January after taking time out to recover from a shoulder injury, but edged a tight opening set against Kuzmova before strolling through the second.
Victory on the grass will come as a timely boost to morale for Sharapova, with the start of Wimbledon now less than two weeks away.
“It’s my first win in about three or four months,” Sharapova said afterwards.
“It’s great to be here in Mallorca. What a great place to train and have a warm-up tournament. It’s been amazing for all of us here, and it’s just been nice to experience it for the first time.”
Angelique Kerber now awaits Sharapova in round two after the top-seeded German defeated Belgium’s Ysaline Bonaventure, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Earlier, another former major champion crashed out as France’s Caroline Garcia came from behind to beat Victoria Azarenka, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
FEDERER WINS
In Halle Westfalen, Germany, Roger Federer began his run-up to Wimbledon with a win as he beat Australian John Millman in straight sets to reach the second round of the ATP tournament in Halle on Tuesday.
Federer won his first grass-court game of the season, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, on a muggy evening in Halle to set up a second-round meeting with French veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Tsonga, 34, said it would be “something special” to face Federer after he beat compatriot Benoit Paire, 6-4, 7-5, on Tuesday.
