Sharapova Happily Back in Old Routine at Open
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SPORTS Wednesday, January 17, 2018 21 Djokovic delighted after first match Melbourne hurt from a Wimbledon quarter-final last a new service action to allow for his elbow ovak Djokovic was delighted with his July. injury. return to the grand slam arena after a long “It felt great to be back on the court and It seems, however, to still be a work in injuryN layoff, the Serb having dealt American compete again. It’s been a while,” the former progress as he managed to land barely Donald Young a 6-1 6-2 6-4 thrashing to reach world number one told reporters. half of his first serves against the the second round of the Australian Open on ”I did have various emotions, mostly good 63rd-ranked American. Tuesday. ones. Excitement, joy, gratitude for being able “Second serve was very, very Wearing a compression sleeve on his serving to have an opportunity to compete. Not a while good. I‘m very happy with the arm, Djokovic showed no signs of the elbow ago, about three weeks ago, I didn’t know second serve. First serve was kind trouble that curtailed his 2017 campaign as he whether I‘m going to play Australia or not. of up and down,” he said. swung freely to amass 33 winners during the “The first two sets went extremely well, “When you come back after a long one hour and 51 minute romp at a sunbathed considering that I haven’t played for six time and you play the first match, Margaret Court Arena. months. The third was, you know, up and you know, obviously all the things The six-times Melbourne Park champion, down a little bit, but in general was a great are a bit exaggerated, whatever is not seeded 14th, dropped to his knees and performance.” working well. You think, ‘Wow’.” Novak Djokovic hits a shot dur- patted the blue court affectionately after Along with the addition of Andre Agassi to ”All in all, I‘m quite pleased.” ing the men’s singles first round completing his first match since retiring his coaching team, Djokovic also introduced (Reuters) match against Donald Young Sharapova happily back Australian Open: in old routine at Open Day two Highlights efending champion Roger 6-1 as top players including Garbine Melbourne Federer cruised to victory at Muguruza, Maria Sharapova, aria Sharapova said on Tuesday she was delighted to be theD Australian Open on Tuesday and Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova back in the old routine after a trying 2017 as she sailed was joined in the second round by and Johanna Konta registered Maria Sharapova cel- intoM the second round of the Australian Open. former champions Novak Djokovic opening victories. ebrates during the It was the Russian star’s first match a Melbourne for two and Stan Wawrinka. Kristina Mladenovic and Petra women’s singles first years, having tested positive for performance-enhancing Federer, bidding for his 20th Kvitova were the surprise early round match against meldonium in Australia in 2016 and only returning from a grand slam title, beat Aljaz Bedene exits in the women’s singles while Tatjana Maria 15-month doping ban last April. 6-3 6-4 6-3 at Melbourne Park, Canadian Milos Raonic, seeded And she sealed a 6-1, 6-4 victory in style with an ace Djokovic defeated Donald Young 23rd, was the biggest upset loser on against Germany’s Tatjana Maria in an hour and 18 6-1 6-2 6-4 and Wawrinka battled the men’s side. minutes. to a 6-3 6-4 2-6 7-6(2) win over Leading men’s contenders “I felt like I have got a lot of things out of the way Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis. Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, physically and emotionally and mentally last year,” In the women’s draw, world Juan Martin Del Potro, Tomas said Sharapova, who only returned to Grand Slam number one Simona Halep beat Berdych and David Goffin booked action at the US Open, where she reached the last 16. 17-year-old Destanee Aiava 7-6(5) second-round spots. (Reuters) “(In 2017) there was a lot of firsts again for me, playing the first tournament, first Grand Slam, and just different Aggressive Konta makes feelings and what it would be routinely. “But it felt pretty routine today, just light work of Brengle really happy to be back here.” On paper this should have been a close match. Melbourne Sharapova, who is climbing her way back up the tennis ohanna Konta skipped past ladder following her ban, is ranked 48th with her German Madison Brengle into the second opponent one place higher. roundJ of the Australian Open on But the gulf in class and experience between Sharapova, Tuesday, the Briton overpowering who has won 36 singles titles, and the 30-year-old her American opponent 6-3 6-1 in journeywoman yet to register a WTA title was evident 66 minutes on Hisense Arena. from the opening exchanges. Australia-born Konta, who The 2008 Australian Open champion hardly looked reached the semi-finals at Melbourne back after racing into a 2-0 lead, holding her own serve Park two years ago, brushed off an to love and then breaking the German three times with early exit in her Sydney International ease to take the first set 6-1 in 32 minutes. title defence last week with an “Look, I’ve got shivers,” said Sharapova, pointing to aggressive display that removed any her arm when asked on court how much being back in doubts about her fitness. Melbourne meant to her. The 26-year-old ninth seed “I cherish these moments. I love it here,” she added. hammered down eight aces and “It’s been a couple of years and I wanted it to be 37 winners, feasting on Brengle’s Johanna Konta really meaningful to me. But we know it’s only going powderpuff serve and converting to get tougher.” five of eight break points over the the second round. The German found her service range at the start of the brief contest. ”I knew it would be tough, second and briefly led 3-1 before the unseeded Russian “I am very happy with that match,” she gets a lot of balls back and cranked up the decibel meter and broke back with a flurry said a smiling Konta, who will meet makes her opponents work for it. of forehand winners. (AFP) another American, Bernarda Pera, in (Reuters) .