Wozniak halts Mauresmo's recovery

(EPA)

Amelie Mauresmo had shown signs of late that she might be recapturing some of the form that took her to No 1 in the world rankings, but the Frenchwoman suffered her earliest exit from the US Open when she lost in the second round here yesterday. Mauresmo started promisingly against Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak but her game quickly fell apart and she was beaten 6-4, 6-0.

The 2006 Wimbledon and Australian Open champion was the No 17 seed here and had looked in reasonable shape while beating Tatjana Malek in the first round. She quickly won the first two games against Wozniak, but the world No 39 soon took charge to reach the third round for the first time. Mauresmo won only nine points in the second set as Wozniak earned a meeting with the No 10 seed, Flavia Pennetta, who took advantage of Sania Mirza's recent injury problems to record a 6-0, 6-0 whitewash.

Portugal's Michelle Larcher de Brito, whose grunting was such an issue at both the French Open and Wimbledon, also wilted quickly in the bright sunshine, losing 6-1, 6-3 to China's Li Na.

Maria Sharapova, another woman who knows what it is like to be questioned regularly about her on-court squealing, showed she can be a big noise again with her comprehensive 6-3, 6-0 victory over Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova on Tuesday night. The Russian, champion three years ago, is working her way back to fitness and form after missing more than nine months following shoulder surgery. "Being out almost a whole year, it's all worth it when you step on the court, you hear all the cheering and feel the atmosphere," she said after her win.