Sharapova downs Halep in thrilling US Open return

Five-time grand slam winner and former world number one Maria Sharapova marked her first Grand Slam appearance since her doping ban ended with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Romanian second seed Simona Halep at the US Open.

Maria Sharapova serves against Simona Halep on day one of the US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.
Reuters

Maria Sharapova serves against Simona Halep on day one of the US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.

Maria Sharapova proved she will be someone to contend with for the US Open crown after the Russian wild card outlasted second seed Simona Halep 6-4 4-6 6-3 on Monday, to get the year's final grand slam off to an electrifying start.

Still shaking off the rust from a 15-month doping ban and a string of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Sharapova needed all her skill, determination and two hours and 44 minutes to snatch victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium.

The victory becomes the highlight of what has been a torturous comeback for the former world number one, who returned to tennis in April after being banned after testing positive for metabolic modulator meldonium at last year's Australian Open.

Her progress has been slowed by a thigh injury that forced her out of the Italian Open in May and more recently left arm issues in that took her out of the second round at Stanford earlier this month.

However, there was no hint of distress against an in-form Halep as she improved her record to 7-0 against the feisty Romanian in an opening round clash that was played with the intensity more befitting of a final.

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