Maria Sharapova breezed through to the second round of the WTA LA Women's Tennis Championships in Los Angeles with a straight-sets victory over Jarmila Groth.
Maria Sharapova breezed through to the second round of the WTA LA Women's Tennis Championships in Los Angeles with a straight-sets victory over Jarmila Groth. Back In Form? Maria Sharapova
The 22-year-old Russian triumphed 6-0 6-4 against her Slovakian opponent to secure a second-round date with third seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Biggest casualty
The highest-seeded casualty was Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano, with Russia's Anna Chakvetadze defeating the 11th seed 7-6 (7/5) 6-3.
Fifteenth seed Kaia Kanepi of Estonia and Francesca Schiavone, the 16th seed from Italy, also suffered first-round exits.
Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic overcame Kanepi 6-3 7-6 (7/4) while American qualifier Jill Craybas was a 7-6 (9/7) 6-2 winner against Schiavone.
There were no such worries for 10th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta, although she was made to work hard for a 6-2 5-7 6-0 victory over American lucky loser Varvara Lepchenko.
Peng Shuai claimed her place in round two courtesy of a hard-fought 6-3 6-7 (4/7) 6-3 triumph over Dutch qualifier Michaella Krajicek.
Shahar Peer of Israel was 7-5 4-1 up on Anastasia Rodionova when the Russian qualifier retired with a left ankle injury, while Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine came from a set down to defeat American Meghann Shaughnessy 3-6 6-3 6-3.
Elsewhere, there were comfortable straight-sets victories for Russian pair Elena Vesnina and Alisa Kleybanova, Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, Ai Sugiyama of Japan and American wild card Vania King.
ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
