Maria Sharapova marked her return to Melbourne Park with a returning masterclass in her 6-1 6-4 win over German Tatjana Maria on Day 2 of Australian Open 2018.
The Russian missed last year’s event as part of her year-long doping ban but she looked right at home at Margaret Court Arena.
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Sharapova says that it felt like business as usual coming back to the Australian Open.
“It felt pretty routine. I have been here a week, practicing on the courts. Got used to all the different weather conditions that Melbourne presents to all of us. It's been good,” she said.
“You know, I felt like I have got a lot of things out of the way physically and emotionally and mentally last year.
“There was a lot of firsts again for me, playing the first tournament, first Grand Slam, and just different feelings and what it would be routinely. But it felt pretty routine today. Just really happy to be back here.”
The 2008 champion raced out of the blocks, breaking her opponent immediately with heavy and deep ground strokes allowing her to dictate the play.
Maria managed to claw the break back before the former world No.1 went on a rampage, clubbing 13 winners compared to her opponent’s two in the opening set.
Sharapova’s dominance on return was phenomenal in the first, winning 63 per cent of the points when receiving serve.
The second set was a little less dominant for the Russian, as Maria began to find her groove, finally holding serve before breaking Sharapova in the fourth game.
Her lead was short-lived however, with the six-time Grand Slam champion channelling her first set form to gain the break back instantly.
From then on it was all Sharapova, as she won five of the final six games to cruise to victory.
Despite the comfortable progression, the former world No.1 still feels like she is building into form.
“I feel like with every tournament and every week I have different feelings about different things. Some things are coming a little slower than I wanted. Some things I feel good about,” she said.
“(I) still feel like I'm building physically and getting the match play in.
“I'm still motivated to keep taking in what I have learned from that week and using it to my advantage in the following tournament. As long as I have that in my mind, it's okay.”
Her groundstrokes were certainly a key, hitting 22 winners to her opponent’s seven for the match. She also converted five of seven break point opportunities and claimed 51 per cent of the points when returning in a truly dominant display.
The win also marked the 350th hard court match win of the Russian's career.
She is unseeded in Melbourne for the first time since 2003, with 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova or Varvara Lepchenko waiting in the second round.
