Top seed Maria Sharapova made a triumphant start at the WTA and ATP Masters Series hardcourt event on Saturday by winning her second-round match at the Sony Ericsson Open.
Sharapova, who received a first-round bye, defeated Taiwan's Chan Yung-jan (
The Russian star was last year's runner-up at this US$6.9 milion event, losing to compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Sharapova, who had not played since a fourth-round loss to Vera Zvonareva at Indian Wells 11 days earlier, might have to defeat eighth-seeded compatriot Nicole Vaidisova and US 13th seed Serena Williams to reach the semi-finals.
Williams pummeled Sharapova in January's Australian Open women's final.
"It was a little bit up and down," Sharapova said of her game in the windy weather that was followed later by lengthy rain delays.
"I felt like I was in control," she said. "I was happy that with the break points she had, I was able to come up with a good defensive play."
"Overall, it's the first match," she said. "It's never completely there. But I'm sure it will get better."
In the third round, Sharapova will play either Venus Williams or Russian Maria Kirilenko. Kirilenko is seeded 29th, while Williams, a three-time Wimbledon and two-time US Open champion, is unseeded as she plays just her second tournament of the year.
Venus Williams had won the first set 6-3 when the match was halted by rain.
Serena Williams was due to start her campaign with a second-round clash against Anastasia Rodionova.
And Swiss world No. 1 and men's top seed Roger Federer was set to begin his title defense on Saturday night against US wild card Sam Querrey with hopes of doing better than his first-match exit from Indian Wells.
"I'm just happy I came through, because I didn't know what to expect tonight," Federer said. "I didn't know my opponent. I've known since a long time when I'm going to play, so [there were] kind of a bit of expectations, too, from the fans and everybody. So I'm happy I'm through, and I think I played OK, actually."
The match will be the first for Federer since his 41-match winning streak was snapped by Guillermo Canas of Argentina on March 11 at Indian Wells.
Canas could face Federer again in the round of 16.
Among those who beat the rain early on Saturday were men's seventh seed Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, who defeated Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-3, 6-2.
Women's fifth seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland downed Czec Iveta Benesova 6-3, 6-2.
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