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Maria Sharapova defeated Alison Risk 6-3, 7-6 at the Cincinnati Open, setting the date for the second round with world number two Ashley_Party, who defeated the Russian at the Australian Open this year.
Sharapova sometimes had problems with accuracy, but she did great service and defended with strength at key moments of her first tournament appearance after a five-year absence.
Riske, who plays as a Russian, was about to send the match to the third set when she was sent 5-3, 15-0 in the second set, but Sharapova got back into shape to force the break.
Former world number one Sharapova, who has won five Grand Slam titles, finished fourth in the game, beating a date with the seeded Barti.
Barti beat Sharapova in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January.
Caroline Wozniacki, a former seeded, sank 6 to 4, 6-4 against Ukrainian Diana Yastremyska in the final match.
Johanna Conta was eliminated in the first round of the tournament for the second time in a row after losing 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to rookie qualifier Rebecca Peterson in a marathon match.
Svetlana Kuznetsova surprisingly beat Anastasia Sevastova (seeded 11) 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in their first-round match, setting a date in the second round with Yastrimska.
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