Sharapova wins v. Halep while defending chap Kerber loses to Osaka

  NEW YORK – The US Open has started on Monday and since then two top-seeded women's players have already been ousted from the Grand Slam tournament at the Arthur Ashe stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York. Maria Sharapova made a smashing return at a Grand Slam tournament after ousting world no. 2 Simona Halep in the first round matches of the US Open on Monday. And on Tuesday, US Open defending champion Angelique Kerber lost to Naomi Osaka in two straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. It was the first play between the two. Sharapova, 30, beat the 25-year-old Romanian tennis star 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. It was the first match won by Sharapova in a Grand Slam tournament after returning to the sport last April from a 15-month doping suspension. She missed out on the French Open after the organizers denied her a wild card. She pulled out of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships last July because of a muscle injury she suffered at the Italian Open. She tested positive for the newly-banned heart drug meldonium after playing at the Australian Open last year. She was initially suspended from playing for two years but her suspension was reduced to 15 months after an appeal. Sharapova dropped to her knees after the two-and-a-half-hour game and covered her face after she won against Halep. She then told the crowd in an interview after the gruelling match: "Behind all these Swarovski crystals and little black dresses. This girl has a lot of grit, and she's not going anywhere." "It's been awhile. It almost seemed like I had no right to win this match today. And I somehow did. I think that is what I'm most proud of. This is a big win for me, and I will enjoy it then move on to the next one," she said. Halep, for her part, said she gave everything she had but Sharapova "was better." Kerber, meanwhile, was eliminated by 19-year-old Osaka, who is ranked no. 45 in the world. Kerber's defeat is the second time that a defending champ was ousted from the tournament in the first round the following year. 2004 US Open titlist Svetlana Kuznetsova lost to her opponent in 2005. Osaka told ESPN after her win: "I really had to concentrate to play (Kerber) because she's really good and she gets (to) everything." GAC/Expat MediaJTNDJTIxLS0lMjBDb2RlcyUyMGJ5JTIwSFRNTC5hbSUyMC0tJTNFJTBBJTBBJTNDJTIxLS0lMjBDU1MlMjBDb2RlJTIwLS0lM0UlMEElM0NzdHlsZSUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGY3NzJTIyJTIwc2NvcGVkJTNFJTBBYS5HZW5lcmF0ZWRMaW5rJTNBbGluayUyMCU3QiUwQWZvbnQtc2l6ZSUzQThweCUzQnRleHQtZGVjb3JhdGlvbiUzQW5vbmUlM0Jjb2xvciUzQSUyMzAwMDAzMyUzQmJhY2tncm91bmQtY29sb3IlM0ElMjNmOWY1ZjUlM0IlMEElN0QlMEFhLkdlbmVyYXRlZExpbmslM0F2aXNpdGVkJTIwJTdCJTBBY29sb3IlM0ElMjMwMDAwMzMlM0IlMEElN0QlMEFhLkdlbmVyYXRlZExpbmslM0Fob3ZlciUyMCU3QiUwQWNvbG9yJTNBJTIzRkY2NjMzJTNCJTBBJTdEJTBBYS5HZW5lcmF0ZWRMaW5rJTNBYWN0aXZlJTIwJTdCJTBBY29sb3IlM0ElMjNGRjk5MDAlM0IlMEElN0QlMEElM0MlMkZzdHlsZSUzRSUwQSUwQSUwQSUzQ2ElMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMkdlbmVyYXRlZExpbmslMjIlMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5leHBhdG1lZGlhLm5ldCUyRmFkdmVydGlzZS13aXRoLXVzJTIyJTIwdGFyZ2V0JTNEJTIyX2JsYW5rJTIyJTIyJTNFQURWRVJUSVNFJTIwSEVSRSUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZleHBhdG1lZGlhLm5ldCUyRmNsYXNzaWZpZWRzJTJGJTIyJTNFJTBBJTNDaW1nJTIwYm9yZGVyJTNEJTIyMCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMkZpbmQlMjBvciUyMHBvc3QlMjBuZXclMjBqb2JzJTJDJTIwbW90b3IlMjBhZHMlMjBhbmQlMjBjbGFzc2lmaWVkcyUyMiUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZleHBhdG1lZGlhLm5ldCUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAxNiUyRjA1JTJGRmluZC15b3VyLW5leHQtam9iLTIuanBnJTIyJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjIxMDAlMjUlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIxMDAlMjUlMjIlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZhJTNFJTBBJTNDYnIlM0UlMEElM0NiciUzRSUwQSUzQyUyMS0tJTIwSFRNTCUyMENvZGUlMjAtLSUzRQ==