Herzlich Willkommen » eased to advance after fighting

Melbourne, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) - Former champion Maria Sharapova and third seed Simona Halep notched wins, while former runner-up Ana Ivanovic was a stunning opening-round loser on Day 1 at the Australian Open. The second-seeded former world No. 1 Sharapova eased past Croat Petra Martic 6-4, 6-1. The reigning French Open champion titled here in 2008 and was an Aussie runner-up in 2007 and 2012. Sharapova opened her 2015 season with a title in Brisbane two weeks ago. Her second-round opponent on Wednesday will be fellow Russian Alexandra Panova. Last years French Open runner-up to Sharapova, Halep, handled Italian Karin Knapp 6-3, 6-2 at Melbourne Park. Halep opened her latest season with her ninth career title in Shenzhen, China, two weeks ago. Shell meet Aussie Jarmila Gajdosova on Day 3 this week. Meanwhile, Czech Lucie Hradecka sent shockwaves by ousting fifth-seeded Ivanovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena. The Serbian Ivanovic, who was the Aussie runner-up to Sharapova in 2008, suffered her earliest exit at a Grand Slam event since the French Open in 2011. She was a quarterfinalist in Melbourne last year. I think the whole match I didnt really feel like myself out there, Ivanovic said. It was really tough for me to find a rhythm a little bit. In the third set, I really felt like she raised her level. Hradecka, playing her first Grand Slam main draw since last years Aussie Open, lost in qualifying at the other three majors in 2014. The doubles specialist entered the week ranked 142nd in singles play. She has 18 doubles titles, but none in singles. In the first set I was so nervous, Hradecka said. I couldnt hit any balls in the court. When I went outside, I started to serve in the second set, I thought, Okay, it cannot be the worst. Lets play every point and lets see what will happen. Its the earliest exit by a top-5 seed since 2003, when then No. 3 Jennifer Capriati was ousted by Marlene Weingartner. Seventh-seeded Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard doused German Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2, 6-4, while another upset saw Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania beat No. 9 seed Angelique Kerber of Germany, 6-4, 0-6, 6-1. Bouchard was the only woman to appear in three Grand Slam semifinals last year. Bouchards second-round opponent will be Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens. In other action involving top-16 seeds, No. 10 Russian Ekaterina Makarova whipped Belgian An-Sophie Mestach 6-2, 6-2, No. 14 former Roland Garros runner-up Sara Errani drilled American Grace Min 6-1, 6-0 and Kazakhstans Yaroslava Shvedova upended No. 16 Czech Lucie Safarova 6-4, 2-6, 8-6. In other play involving seeds, German Carina Witthoeft took out No. 17 Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-1; No. 21 Peng Shuai of China beat Germanys Tatjana Maria 6-4, 7-5; No. 22 Czech Karolina Pliskova defeated Russian Evgeniya Rodina 7-5, 6-1; Belgiums Yanina Wickmayer downed No. 23 Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; Frances Caroline Garcia upset No. 27 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-4, 6-2; Frances Kristina Mladenovic doused No. 28 Sabine Lisicki of Germany 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; No. 31 Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan overcame Pole Urszula Radwanska 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; and Germanys Julia Goerges vanquished No. 32 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-2, 6-1. Several other women moved on, including Americans Christina McHale and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Puerto Rican Monica Puig and Italian veteran Roberta Vinci. On Tuesday, top seed Serena Williams will meet Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck and fourth-seeded Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova will face Dutchwoman Richel Hogenkamp. The reigning U.S. Open champion Williams owns 18 career Grand Slam titles, including a whopping five Aussie crowns. Also slated for opening-round action on Day 2 are sixth-seeded former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, eighth-seeded former No. 1 and 2014 U.S. Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki, 11th-seeded 2014 Aussie Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova, 18th-seeded former top-ranked star and former Aussie finalist Venus Williams, and unseeded two-time Aussie champ Victoria Azarenka, who will battle American Sloane Stephens. Arian Foster Jersey . LOUIS -- Julius Randle had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Aaron Harrison finished with 18 points and No. Andre Johnson Jersey .com) - The Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors are back in the great white north for a brief moment and will host the Dallas Mavericks Friday night from Air Canada Centre. http://www.officialhoustontexanspro.com/...y/.Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is inevitable that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys. J.J. Watt Jersey .Y. - The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence these days, thanks to a standout goalie and a newfound winning attitude. Justin Reid Jersey . His recovery time is expected to be six to eight months. Seidenberg was injured in the third period of Fridays 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators, when he got his leg tangled with forward Cory Conacher. INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Milos Raonic and Aleksandra Wozniak continued successful injury comebacks as each advanced into the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday to next face reigning Grand Slam champions. Tenth-seeded Raonic, playing for the first time in more than a month after suffering ankle ligament damage, fired a modest 10 aces in a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Colombian Alejandro Falla with a break per set providing the winning margin. "Im playing well this week, better with each match," said the 11th-ranked Thornhill, Ont., native. "Im proud to be back on court again. Im happy to be back and really happy to be playing so well, so quickly." Raonic lined up a match against Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, who struggled to beat Czech Jiri Vesely 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4. Raonic owns a 2-1 lead in that series, winning their last in a 2012 Tokyo semifinal. "I have got to go out there and play well, thats the main thing to focus on," said Raonic. "I have to really take care of my serve, and try to sort of make the most of the situations as they occur. "Andys in a situation where he didnt play for a big chunk of time (back surgery) and Im in mine. I have to really buckle down and focus on myself and make sure I do my things well, and then change a few things that I may need to facing him." Wozniak is making quick progress after a shoulder injury with a 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 6-0 defeat of Russias Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The Blainville, Que., native set herself up for a huge test in the next round. She will face world No. 2, top seed and Australian Open champion Li Na after the two-time Grand Slam winner beat Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-4. This event marks the first time since late 2012, when her shoulder problems began, that the No. 241-ranked Wozniakk has gone past the second round at a WTA-level tournament.dddddddddddd Wozniak was pleased to advance after fighting and losing a second-set tiebreak but dominating in the final set to sweep to victory. "I"ve had a tough year and a half with my shoulder," she said. "It was a good match for me today. Russians are always tough, I had to being my A game today." Wozniak claimed victory in just under two hours, committing 10 double-faults in the match but breaking on nine of 13 chances. Wozniak credited her French coach Nathalie Tauziat with helping her to the victory. "She gave me encouragement and a boost for the third set," Wozniak said. "I was playing a little too far back on the court in the second. My balls were not as deep as in the first. "In the third, I tried to step up more, take the ball early. I didnt want to let her get back into it like I did in the second set." Wozniak, who will move into the 180s on ranking according to WTA estimates, is pleased with her comeback, which has bloomed this week in the desert. "Its really good, Im happy, Im progressing with every match, step by step," she said. "Im finding that aggressive way I used to play. It gives me confidence to start finding my game like before." Wozniak will next play Li for the fourth time, standing 1-2 in the series. "Its a privilege to play her," Wozniak said. "Ill have to play the way I know I can, like Ive played this week. She loves to dictate from the first ball. Ill stay on her and try to have a good match. "I wont be any more nervous than usual. I know how to handle these situations because Ive been in them before. It will be important to start from the first point and stay with her in the rallies." 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