Russian top seed Maria Sharapova shook off the rust of five weeks away from the court to overcome a frustrated Maria Kirilenko 7-6 6-2 in the second round of the JP Morgan Chase Open.
Playing her first tour match since losing to Venus Williams in the semi-finals at Wimbledon, an erratic Sharapova mixed pinpoint accuracy on her booming groundstroke with a string of errors forced by her speedy and creative compatriot.
"There was a lot of rustiness," said the world number two, who had received a bye into the second round.
"First matches are always tough. You work in practice but then go out and competing is totally different. You just have to go out there and shake it all off."
By adeptly mixing her backhand and playing short angles, the 50th-ranked Kirilenko frustrated her off-court friend, but Sharapova continued her assault on the corners and the strategy eventually paid off after a few nervy moments.
The 18-year-old Sharapova needed seven set points to close out the first, wasting four opportunities in the 12th game and three more in the tiebreaker.
Kirilenko was flustered by three questionable calls in the tiebreaker, including consecutive decisions that gave Sharapova a 4-3 lead.
"It was the worst umpiring I've had in my life," Kirilenko said. "They (the line judges) made three mistakes and the chair umpire did nothing, he just sat in the chair and had nothing to say."
Sharapova went on to take the tiebreaker 9-7 when she blasted a crosscourt forehand too deep for Kirilenko to return.
Looking more like a player on the brink of becoming world number one for the first time, Sharapova was far more efficient in the second set and once Kirilenko received treatment for an elbow strain in the third game, the result was never in doubt.
Sharapova needs to reach the semi-finals to overhaul Lindsay Davenport and become the first Russian woman ranked number one but she refuses to be distracted by the prospect.
"I'm more focused on winning the tournament than becoming number one for now," she said.
In other matches, China's Shuai Peng continued her fine run of form with a 7-6 6-0 victory over Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela in a first round encounter.
She was joined in the second round by compatriot Tiantian Sun, who eased to a 6-0 6-1 win against Maria Fernanda Alves of Brazil.
Eleni Daniilidou of Greece beat Maria Emilia Salerni of Argentina 7-6 7-5 to set up a second round tie with number two seed Svetlana Kuznetosova of Russia.
Croatia's Karolina Sprem edged Yuliana Fedak of Ukraine 6-4 7-6 and plays fifth seed Kim Clijsters next.
Iveta Benasova of the Czech Republic overcame Indian prospect Sania Mirza 6-3 1-6 6-4 and now lines up against 16th seed Anna Chakvetdatze, with the winner going on to face Sharapova.
