Sharapova makes a stunning start

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CARLSBAD, Aug 2(AFP): Maria Sharapova made a formidable start to the summer hardcourt season, the US Open champion crushing Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6- 1, 6-3 in the second round of the San Diego Classic Wednesday. The Florida-based Russian world number two launched her title defence with apparent ease as she returned to competition for the first time since falling in the fourth round at Wimbledon to eventual champion Venus Williams.
The two-time grand slam champion showed no sign of discomfort from the lingering shoulder worry which required a pain-killing injection in the spring.
Sharapova skipped Russia's Fed Cup tie last month against the United States amid harsh home criticism, saying she needed to rest her injury.
The 20-year-old, who lifted the 2006 title here without the loss of a set, beating Kim Clijsters in the final, made a perfect start to her defence and led a string of Russians into the third round.
Three other seeded Russians and world number 42 Maria Kirilenko all advanced in straight sets.
Third seed Anna Chakvetadze extended her summer win streak to 10 matches, crushing Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 6-4.
Chakvetadze, ranked sixth, had polished her finals record to six-for-six with last weekend's triumph in Stanford over India's tennis princess Sania Mirza.
Number eight Dinara Safina eliminated Camille Pin of France 6-1, 6-4 and ninth seed Elena Dementieva stopped German Angelique Kerber 6- 1, 6-2.
Kirilenko upset Czech 16th seed Lucie Safarova 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). Tenth-seeded Wimbledon champion Venus Williams was untroubled in a 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano, with the American committing 41 unforced errors against 30 winners.
Williams won this tournament in 2000, 2001 and 2002, but is making her first appearance after a five-year absence.
Her last defeat in this event came in 1999, when she lost the final to Martina Hingis, this year's seventh seed.
"I played well, I had some errors, but I was aggressive," Williams said. "She played her best tennis and didn't give me any free points.
"I'm relaxed and confident, if I'm down a break I know I can do whatever it takes to break back.
"I think I'm playing better than at Wimbledon. My game is improving with every match that I've played."
Chakvetadze will next face former tournament giant killer Ai Sugiyama, who continued her habit of knocking out seeds with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) victory over number 15 Austrian Sybille Bammer.
In 2005, Sugiyama beat Daniela Hantuchova and reigning US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova before losing the final here to France's Mary Pierce.
Slovakia's Hantuchova, seeded sixth, advanced with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 victory over Viktoria Azarenka of Belarus.