Russian star Maria Sharapova made a victorious debut at the WTA Saint Petersburg indoor tournament, beating Daria Gavrilova of Australia in straight sets on Monday. The 31-year-old Sharapova prevailed 6-0, 6-4 in one hour 45 minutes to chalk up her third win in four head-to-head meetings with Russian-born Gavrilova. The unseeded Sharapova was in command from the start on the hard court of Sibur Arena, breaking her rival's serve three times to take the opening set to love. Gavrilova broke in the second, but Sharapova, who is ranked 29th in the world, replied by breaking twice and sealing her victory with a precise forehand drive. "It was much harder than the scoreline indicates," Sharapova said. "It was a tough physical battle but I expected it as that's the way we've played all of our previous meetings." In the last 16, five-time major winner Sharapova will meet third-seeded compatriot Daria Kasatkina, who enjoyed an opening-round bye. "Daria has recently been in the top 10," said Sharapova. "Even though she lost early in Australia she is in good form and it will be hard to play against her. But I feel I'm ready." Earlier on Monday, Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium saw off compatriot Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 6-4 to set up a meeting with fourth-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. Meanwhile, Vera Zvonareva, the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open finalist, beat fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-4 in a battle of former top 10 players, who both appeared in the main draw courtesy of wildcards. "The match was really tough, but I expected that," Zvonareva said. Murray undergoes hip surgery in London Former world No. 1 Andy Murray has undergone a hip resurfacing surgery in London, the 31-year-old Scot said on Tuesday. Murray has struggled to regain form since undergoing hip surgery last year and was knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open earlier this month, having said the tournament could be his last as a professional. The 31-year-old's post on Instagram featured an X-ray picture of his hip. "I now have a metal hip," Murray wrote in his post. "Feeling a bit battered and bruised just now but hopefully that will be the end of my hip pain." Three-time Grand Slam Murray initially had surgery on his right hip in January 2018 and has played 15 matches since returning to action last June. He was due to play in next month's Marseille Open but withdrew from the tournament last week. Djokovic tightens grip on top of rankings Novak Djokovic strengthened his grip at the top of the men's ATP Tennis ranking Monday following his destruction of Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final. An outclassed Nadal, beaten in straight sets in just over two hours, held on to second spot in the rankings while Roger Federer slipped from third to six place. Federer, the defending champion, was eliminated in the round of 16 by Greek giant-killer Stefanos Tsitsipas Alexander Zverev replaces Federer in third position ahead of Juan Martin Del Potro, fourth, who missed the Australian Open. Despite his early elimination in Melbourne, South African Kevin Anderson, a Wimbledon finalist last year, moved up a spot into fifth. Japan's Kei Nishikori, meanwhile, rises two places to seventh after reaching the quarter-finals in Melbourne. Tsitsipas, eliminated by Nadal in the semifinals, jumped three places and is knocking on the door of the top 10 in 12th place. Osaka leaps to No.1 in WTA rankings Naomi Osaka, winner of the Australian Open, has jumped to the top of women's Tennis with her beaten opponent Petra Kvitova rising to second in Monday's WTA rankings. Osaka climbed three places after beating the Czech in Melbourne on Saturday. Kvitova moved up four places. The 21-year-old Japanese player has only won three career titles, but those include the last two majors, after she won the US Open in September. Romanian former No. 1 Simona Halep, knocked out by Serena Williams in the round of 16 in Melbourne, fell two spots to third. Dane Caroline Wozniacki, whose defense of her Australian Open title ended in the third round, fell six places to ninth. The biggest rise of the week was by the 25-year-old American Danielle Collins who leaped 12 places to 23rd after her run to the semifinals. The other semifinalist, Czech Karolina Pliskova, who saved four match points against Williams in their quarterfinal, also advanced, gaining three places to fifth in the world. Williams, who fell to 491 after her maternity break last year, continued her rise, gaining five places to 11th. — Agencies
