Sharapova, Djokovic advance at Australian Open

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Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber, the only former champions in the women's draw at the Australian Open, swept into the second round Tuesday

Sharapova, still working her way back from a 15-month drugs ban, showed glimpses of the tennis that made her a five-time major winner.

The 2008 Melbourne Park champion, now ranked 48, battled past Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 and will next play either 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko.

"I cherish these moments. I love it here," said the Russian, who returned from her ban in April last year.

Germany's Angelique Kerber dismissed Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4. /AFP Photo

Fellow former world number one Kerber, who won the tournament in 2016, was also impressive in dismissing Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4.

She is now on a 10-match win streak after a perfect early season.

World number one Simona Halep flirted with another early exit from the Open before rallying to reach the second round with a 7-6(5), 6-1 victory over local teenager Destanee Aiava.

Halep, who has been knocked out in the first round in four of her last six visits to Melbourne Park but reached the quarter-finals in the other two, will next meet former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.

Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova and eighth seed Caroline Garcia also progressed, in contrast to the other side of the draw that saw Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe crash out on Monday.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia stretches for a shot against Donald Young of the US. /Reuters Photo

On the men's side, Novak Djokovic celebrated his long-awaited return to the grand slam stage with a 6-1 6-2 6-4 demolition of American Donald Young.

Wearing a compression sleeve on his serving arm, Djokovic showed no signs of the elbow trouble that cut short his 2017 season as he swung freely to amass 33 winners during the one hour and 51 minute rout at a sunbathed Margaret Court Arena.

Lukas Lacko of Slovakia and Milos Raonic of Canada chat at the net after Lacko won their match. /Reuters Photo

Former world number three Milos Raonic experienced his earliest grand slam exit since the 2011 French Open after Lukas Lacko sent him tumbling out in the first round.

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters