Intro:

Maria Sharapova (RUS) beats home favourite Madison Keys and Simona Halep (ROM) wins against Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) in the Cincinnati Masters second round in America.

Script:

In an anticipated second round match-up, former champion Maria Sharapova defeated home favourite Madison Keys in the Cincinnati Masters on Tuesday.

Keys made nearly twice as many unforced errors as her Russian opponent and Sharapova took just half an hour to win the first set.

The second was far more taxing for the French Open champion as Keys raced into a 3-1 lead before clinching the set and levelling the match.

But Sharapova prevailed in the final set to win 6-1 3-6 6-3 and set up a third round clash with either Karin Knapp or Belinda Bencic.

Also in action on the hard court was world number two Simona Halep and Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium.

The Romanian was on the back foot in this point but she landed this brilliant forehand winner to win the set.

The Bucharest champion then prevailed in the second set to win 6-4 6-2.

In a city that sits on the Ohio River, Halep swims upstream to meet the winner of Lucie Safarova versus Zarina Diyas.