Maria Sharapova shattered the fairytale return of 39-year-old Patty Schnyder at the US Open on Tuesday, winning a roller-coaster first round clash 6-2, 7-6 (8/6).

Schnyder, the oldest ever player to make the main draw of a Grand Slam via qualifying, was outgunned by the five-time major champion in the first set and for the majority of the second.

However, she bravely battled back from 1-5 down to 6-6, showing the sort of ability and court-craft which won her 11 titles and once took her to seven in the world rankings.

She even saved three match points in the tiebreaker before Sharapova’s 23rd winner of the night sealed victory shortly before midnight.

“My average match against her is like two hours and 20 minutes so I knew I was in for a battle no matter what my story is or hers,” said Sharapova who is now 21-0 in US Open night sessions.

“I knew we’d go out and relive the battles against each other.

“I know what a competitor she is and to come back on the tour is very admirable.”

Left-hander Schnyder made her US Open bow in 1997 – the year of the deaths of Princess Diana in Paris and Mother Teresa in Kolkata.

It was the year that Mike Tyson infamously nibbled on Evander Holyfield’s ear while Twitter was still nine years away.

Schnyder made the quarter-finals in New York in 1998 and 2008 before retiring in 2011.

Tuesday’s match was her first main draw appearance at the US Open since 2010 and her first against Sharapova in a decade.

“It doesn’t really feel that special,” said Schnyder. “It doesn’t feel like I have been gone for a while as tennis is a passion of my life.”

“Times passes really quickly and it doesn’t seem it’s eight years since I last played Maria.”

Schnyder was watched on Tuesday by three-year-old daughter Kim.

“She enjoyed it. She saw herself up on the big screen,” added Schnyder who does not know if her return to the tour will be permanent.

Her focus, she said, will be on her daughter.

“It’s more fun for me to get to know her world rather than her having to get to know my world of tennis.”

Understandably there were a few nerves on both sides on Tuesday.

Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champion, served up three double faults in the first game with the opening four games of the contest all breaks of serve.

The Russian 22nd seed steadied the ship with two more breaks, pocketing the first set with Schnyder losing all four of her service games and failing to hit a single winner.

Wozniacki downs Stosur

World number two Caroline Wozniacki reached the second round dispatching former champion Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-2 on a sweltering Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The second-seeded Dane said she used her imagination to beat the heat in a tough first-round match-up against the Aussie veteran who won the title in Flushing Meadows in 2011 but was undone by eight double faults on Tuesday.

“It’s definitely difficult, it’s very hot out here today,” said Wozniacki, the highest seed remaining in the women’s field after the shock first-round exit of Simona Halep on Monday.

“I just tried to cool down between games, used ice. I’m just thinking I’m on the beach, I have a margarita in hand, life is good.”

Wozniacki, eager to add another Grand Slam title to the Australian Open crown she captured in January, next faces Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck.

“She’s a tricky opponent, great backhand,” Wozniacki said. “I’m just glad to have won this one. When I saw I was playing Sam I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Former champion Kerber into second round

Former champion Angelique Kerber eased the second round with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win over Margarita Gasparyan of Russia.

Fourth seed Kerber, the reigning Wimbledon champion and the 2016 winner in New York, will face Sweden’s Johanna Larsson for a place in the last 32.

Results

Caroline Garcia (FRA x6) bt Johanna Konta (GBR) 6-2, 6-2

Mónica Puig (PUR) bt Stefanie Vögele (SUI) 6-0, 6-0

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Tamara Zidanšek (SLO) 6-0, 6-3

Carla Suárez (ESP x30) bt Nicole Gibbs (USA) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4

Maria Sharapova (RUS x22) bt Patty Schnyder (SUI) 6-2, 7-6 (8/6)

Sorana Cirstea (ROU) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5

Taylor Townsend (USA) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x10) bt Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5

Madison Keys (USA x14) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4, 6-4

Bernarda Pera (USA) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4

Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) bt Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 6-2, 3-6, 6-0

Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) bt CoCo Vandeweghe (USA x24) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x29) bt Arantxa Rus (NED) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Angelique Kerber (GER x4) bt Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3

Petra Kvitova (CZE x5) bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-1, 6-4

Wang Yafan (CHN) bt Anna Karolína Schmiedlová (SVK) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) bt Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x26) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4

Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 6-1, 6-4

Katerina Siniaková (CZE) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST x28) 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-5

Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) bt Lizette Cabrera (AUS) 6-4, 6-1

Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-3, 6-2

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x2) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 6-3, 6-2