Osaka grinds out opening win in Birmingham; Sharapova bounces back from injury in Mallorca

Despite mentioning earlier that she does not feel comfortable on grass, Osaka got off to a win in her first match in the Birmingham Classic. Meanwhile, Sharapova made a winning return from injury in Mallorca, defeating Viktoria Kuzmova.

Naomi Osaka plays a backhand during her first round match against Maria Sakkari during day two.

World number one Naomi Osaka progressed to round two of the Birmingham Classic on Tuesday, but was made to work for a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win over Greece’s Maria Sakkari.

Osaka admitted in her pre-tournament press conference that she still does not feel comfortable on grass However, she got off to a flying start in her first match since losing in the third round of the French Open.

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Osaka broke the Sakkari serve three times in romping through the first set. The world number 33 fought back in the second to take the match to a deciding set.

Osaka needed to stave off five break points in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead but then pounced immediately for the only break in the final set.

Yulia Putintseva will face Osaka in round two after easing past Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-4.

Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko set up a second round clash with Britain’s Johanna Konta with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Iga Swiatek.

World number three Karolina Pliskova will face her twin sister Kristyna Pliskova in the next round after the latter beat Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-4.

Sharapova makes winning return from injury in Mallorca

Maria Sharapova made a winning return from injury on Tuesday as she defeated Viktoria Kuzmova 7-6 (10/8), 6-0 to progress to the second round of the Mallorca Open.

She has not played since the end of January after taking time out to recover from a shoulder injury but edged a tight opening set against Kuzmova.

Angelique Kerber could now await Sharapova in round two, with the top-seeded German up against Belgium's Ysaline Bonaventure later on Tuesday.

Earlier, another former major champion crashed out as France's Caroline Garcia came from behind to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Top seed Angelique Kerber struggled against Belgian qualifier Ysaline Bonaventure but managed to carve out a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 victory in the round of 16.