Sharapova wins easily

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Maria Sharapova’s stomach ache turned out to be nothing more than that.

That lopsided loss she suffered at the Olympics — well, that may have only been a false alarm, as well.

Playing her first match since a blowout loss to Serena Williams in London and a stomach virus that forced her out of two tuneup tournaments, Sharapova returned to tennis in fine fashion Monday at the U.S. Open.

The third-seeded Russian came back from a three-week break and defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-2, 6-2 in a stress-free, 67-minute first-round match at blustery Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Her victory in front of the half-filled stadium was her first match since a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Williams at the London Games in a gold-medal showdown that looked and felt more like one of these first-round wipeouts Sharapova usually inflicts.

Turns out, Sharapova was dealing with some stomach pain then, which only got worse a few weeks later. She went to the doctor for a series of tests, including an ultrasound to see if she was pregnant. The test turned up negative.

“Just because of the pain I was having, it was really weird,” Sharapova said. “They told me I was fine, not pregnant. Then, I’m like, ‘Can I get my money back?”’

No. 1 Roger Federer’s quest for a sixth U.S. Open title was scheduled to begin later Monday in a night session that also included No. 23 Kim Clijsters, who put her 21-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows up against 16-year-old American Victoria Duval, the youngest player in the field.

Stosur wrapped up her win before the rain came and any thought that the early round jitters might get to her — the way they did in first-round exits at the Australian Open and the Olympics or a second-round loss at Wimbledon — were over before the crowd even got settled.

The seventh-seeded Aussie won the first 19 points — she was five away from a perfect set before she double-faulted — and needed only 51 minutes to finish the match.