MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP)—Top-seeded Maria Sharapova downed American Shenay Perry 6-0, 6-2 in the Cellular South Cup on Monday, winning her first match since she was upset in the first round of the Australian Open.
Sharapova used her strength to move Perry around the court and keep her off balance, advancing in less than an hour.
“I thought I was very aggressive,” Sharapova said. “To play every point with a strong mentality in every match, it’s impossible to keep going up, up, up and hit a winner on every single ball. So, when I did feel like I maybe missed a few, I still was going for it. I wasn’t tentative.”
Sharapova was able to work on various parts of her game, but stopped short of saying it was an easy win.
“It’s just about going out there and doing the right things,” she said. “Competing no matter who’s across the net.”
In the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships—the men’s side of the Memphis tournament—No. 3 seed Radek Stepanek advanced with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 victory over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, while sixth-seeded John Isner beat 17-year-old qualifier, and fellow American, Ryan Harrison 6-1, 7-5.
American Taylor Dent, who won the tournament in 2003, lost to Germany’s Philipp Petzschner 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
On the women’s side, No. 3 seed Kaia Kanepi of Estonia beat Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-0, 6-4.