Sharapova, Krunic provide stunning starts

New York: Former world number one Maria Sharapova made a big return to Grand Slams after a 15-month doping ban, knocking out second-ranked Simona Halep 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the US Open.

The 30-year-old Russian, who had only one hard court warm-up match due to a forearm injury, played 60 winners with 64 unforced errors, in a thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I just thought this was another day, another opportunity, another match but this was so much more," Sharapova said.
"You sometimes wonder why you put in all the work and this is exactly why."

Earlier, Serbian Aleksandra Krunic produced the first shock of the US Open as she rallied past British seventh seed Johanna Konta 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 26-year-old Briton certainly had her chances. After capitalising on all three break chances in the first set, Konta was unable to convert any of her three break points in the second.Venus Williams led the American charge with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win over Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia.

The 37-year-old, who last won the title in New York in 2002, is high on confidence after reaching two grand slam finals in 2017, in Australia and at Wimbledon.

Alexander Zverev battled into the early hours of Tuesday to defeat a surprisingly troublesome Darian King 7-6(9), 7-5, 6-4.
The fourth-seeded German got all he could handle in the first set from the little-known 25-year-old, who made it through qualifiers to become the first player from Barbados to compete in a grand slam.

Dressed in knee-high socks and striped headband that recalled a 1970's-era Bjorn Borg, Zverev looked out of synch early in the match, the booming serve that helped bring him five titles this year lacking its usual punch.

Croatia's 2014 men champion Marin Cilic started strong and hung on to win his first match since his emotional defeat in the Wimbledon final, besting American Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki capitalised on 41 unforced errors by Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu to cruise to a 6-1, 7-5 win in their first round meeting here. The 29-year-old Buzarnescu, who was playing in her first Grand Slam match, was overwhelmed by the Dane's powerful baseline game in the first set.

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza notched up her first ever victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 6-0, 6-3 win over American Varvara Lepchenko. Twice Wimbledon champion, the 13th seeded Czech Petra Kvitova scraped into the second round of the US Open by beating former world number one Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 7-5, 7-5.