28 Aug 2012

Sharapova and Li Na win on opening day at Flushing Meadows

12:56 pm on 28 August 2012

Former champion Maria Sharapova has cruised into the second round of the US tennis Open with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Hungary's Melinda Czink.

The Russian, who won the title in 2006 and is seeded third this year, coped well with a swirling wind to see off the world number 88 in 67 minutes.

The 25-year-old is chasing her second grand slam title of the year, having won the French Open in June to complete a career set of all four grand slam events.

China's Li Na began her title bid with a rain-interrupted 6-2 6-3 victory over Britain's Heather Watson.

The ninth seed had too much power and experience for the former US Open junior champion as she advanced to the second round following a match that was interrupted by a rain delay that lasted almost two and a half hours.

Li will face Australian Casey Dellacqua in the second round. They have played three times, the last time in 2008, and Li has won each time.

A couple of women's seeds did fall on the first day, including number 16 Sabine Lisicki of Germany and number 18 Julia Gorges of Germany.