Maria Sharapova said she had executed “a great plan” to beat fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova to reach the quarter-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Former world No1 Sharapova, who was playing her second match since serving a 15-month ban for taking the banned drug meldonium, won 7-5, 6-1 in just one hour and 20 minutes.
“Being in the quarter-finals here again is quite special,” said Sharapova, who will next meet Anett Kontaveit, of Estonia.
“Being the second match and playing yesterday and getting all the emotions out, I feel I settled down a little bit today.
“I was able to focus on my game and I executed a great plan.”
Elsewhere, world No2 and defending champion Angelique Kerber was beaten 6-2, 7-5 by France’s Kristina Mladenovic in the second round.
Maria Sharapova | Possible schedule
| April | |
| Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart | April 26 - 29 |
| May | |
| Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid | May 5 - 12 |
| Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome | May 14 - 20 |
| French Open, Paris | May 22 - June 5 |
| July | |
| Wimbledon | July 3 - 16 |
