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MELBOURNE, Australia >> Maria Sharapova has advanced to the third round at thhe Australian Open, beating Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 7-6 (4) as the temperatures began to rise at Melbourne Park.
With a forecast high of 102 Fahrenheit, Sharapova appeared to be in a hurry to get off the Rod Laver Arena court, winning the first set in 23 minutes.
In the second set, Sharapova was broken while serving for the match, sending it to the tiebreaker which she dominated.
Sharapova is playing here for the first time since serving a 15-month doping ban for testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. She lost to Sevastova at the U.S. Open last September in her return to Grand Slam tennis.
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