US Open: Maria Sharapova rolls back the years in first-round victory over returning Patty Schnyder

‘For her to come back and have the desire is really admirable. I'm just really happy I was able to win that last point’

Maria Sharapova celebrates her US Open first-round victory over Patty Schnyder (Reuters)

Maria Sharapova and Patty Schnyder rolled back the years in their first-round clash under the lights at the US Open.

Having served for the match at 5-1 in the second set, Sharapova eventually battled to a 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) victory, ending Schnyder's grand slam comeback at the age of 39.

The pair had met eight times before but not since 2008 when they were both at the top of the game.

Asked for her initial feelings when she realised she would be playing Schnyder in the first round, Sharapova's thoughts turned to their previous lengthy tussles.

She said: "I knew I was in for a battle no matter what her story or my story. Just go out on court and relieve the memories of all the times we've played each other.

"For her to come back and have the desire is really admirable. I'm just really happy I was able to win that last point."

Schnyder's victory in the final round of qualifying made her the oldest player to take that route into a grand slam in the Open era, with this her first appearance on one of tennis' biggest stages since her retirement in 2011.

A quarter-finalist here 20 years ago, she returned to the game in 2015 following the birth of daughter Kim and had fallen three times in slam qualifying prior to this tournament.

Schnyder said: "It actually doesn't feel so special and it doesn't feel like I've been gone for such a while. It has been part of my life for so long.

"It's the passion of my life and it was great to be out there but it was nothing too special."

Maria Sharapova celebrates her US Open first-round victory over Patty Schnyder (Reuters)

One difference to her last slam appearance was having Kim watching courtside.

Schnyder spent three days getting the youngster's body clock adjusted to be able to watch a night match and caught several glimpses of her on the big screen.

"She was having fun out there," said the 39-year-old. "There's no way you can't see, that screen is too big. I knew where she was sitting so I can always have a look at her but obviously you want to be ready for the next point."

Sharapova made her own return to grand slam tennis in New York 12 months ago following her 15-month doping ban and defeated Simona Halep in a blockbuster clash, going on to make the fourth round.

Sharapova made a winning start to her US Open campaign with a straight-sets victory (Getty)

She has not made the progress that she would have hoped for since then, and this was a rather more low-key occasion until Schnyder threatened to force a deciding set, with Sharapova finally taking her fourth match point.

It was still very hot when the pair took to Louis Armstrong Stadium just before 10pm but they at least avoided the extreme conditions of the day session.

Caroline Wozniacki used imaginary margaritas to keep her cool, saying after her 6-3 6-2 victory over former champion Sam Stosur: "I just pretend I'm on the beach with a margarita in hand, life is good."

Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber had a tougher time against Margarita Gasparyan but came through 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 while fifth seed Petra Kvitova was relieved to have a speedy 6-1 6-4 victory over Yanina Wickmayer.

Patty Schnyder was competing at her first Grand Slam event since retiring in 2011 (AFP/Getty)

On a good day for the seeds, there were also wins for Caroline Garcia, Jelena Ostapenko, Daria Kasatkina, Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka as well as in-form duo Kiki Bertens and Aryna Sabalenka, but last year's semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe is out.

Meanwhile, in one of the most bizarre episodes of the season, France's Alize Cornet was given a warning for temporarily taking her top off.

Having gone off court to change, the 28-year-old realised she had her top on back to front and quickly changed it but was called for a code violation.

PA