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MARIA Sharapova has clawed her way into the Australian Open second round Tuesday with a straight-sets win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands as she seeks her first Grand Slam title since the 2012 French Open.
The glamorous Russian, on the comeback trail from a shoulder injury that forced her off the tour in August, battled past the tough American 6-3, 6-4 but her game was marred by too many errors and a serve that failed to fire.
"After (missing) my last Grand Slam in New York I have been so looking forward to this one and I was really happy to start,'' she said.
"She was a tough opponent and I'm just happy to get through the first one.
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"I have had trouble against her in the past and I knew it would be no different tonight.''
Sharapova was playing aggressive tennis and forcing errors from the American, which cost her dearly with the third seed racing to a 4-0 lead in the first set.
But the colourful Mattek-Sands, sporting purple dyed hair and her trademark knee socks, forced her way back into the game when Sharapova drove a forehand long to give her a glimmer of hope.
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She held serve to go 4-2 and nearly got back to 4-3 with the Russian struggling with her service game, but failed to make the most of her opportunities with Sharapova closing out an error-riddled set in 48 minutes.
Sharapova got the break she was looking for in the third game of the second set, striking a powerful forehand down the line.
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Mattek-Sands fought back but the end was in sight with the Russian breaking again in the ninth game and serving out for a match in which she made 28 unforced errors and converted only half of her eight break points.
Earlier, world No. 2 Victorian Azarenka has begun the defence of her Australian Open crown with a straight-sets win on a blistering Rod Laver Arena.
But the win proved far from routine for the second seed.
Azarenka's opponent Johanna Larsson twice served for the first set only to lose it in a tie-breaker that swung the match the way of her highly-ranked opponent.
Azarenka settled the issue 7-6 (7-2) 6-2, her major regret being the 106 minutes she had to spend on court in temperatures approaching 40 degrees.
"It would have been nice to get it over quicker,'' Azarenka said.
"But it is a win and that's the main thing.''
Azarenka joined 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki in the second round after the Dane spent the minimum of time disposing of Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-0 6-2.
Another who wasted as little time as possible in the sweltering heat was Romanian 11th seed Simona Halep, who beat Katarzina Piter of Poland 6-0 6-1 in 54 minutes while Spanish 16th seed Carla Suarez Navarro overcame the heat and America's Vania King 6-3 6-2.
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