The Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova advanced to the second round of the Stanford Classic yesterday when she beat America's Jennifer Brady by 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 in a match that lasted for two hours and two minutes.

Sharapova said, "I feel like I just want to hug everyone and say thank you. It's my first match in the States in a really long time, and it's the closest thing to home for me. The welcome has been incredible and finally playing so close to home was really special."

She was playing her first match since recovering from a hip muscle injury which she sustained in May.

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