Bisbane: Every point mattered for Maria Sharapova in her competitive return from an injury layoff, even in a first-round match in the season-opening tournament.
Sharapova beat 74th-ranked Caroline Garcia of France 6-3, 6-0 on Monday, ripping forehand winners and nullifying her rival's biggest weapon with some aggressive service returns. She chased down balls to turn the tempo of games when she was behind, and celebrated break points with triple fist pumps even when the result was beyond doubt.
The four-time major winner played only one match following an early exit at Wimbledon last season due to a right shoulder injury. She showed no signs of soreness in advancing to the second round at the Brisbane International, her only warm-up event for the Australian Open.
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