Tennis: Sharapova returns to the U.S. Open spotlight

Tennis: U.S. Open — New York, NY, USA; Maria Sharapova of Russia salutes the crowd after her match against Simona Halep of Romania (not pictured) on day one of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova will be back in the U.S. Open spotlight on Wednesday hoping she can come up with a winning encore to her electrifying first round victory over second seed Simona Halep.

Topping that three-set thriller will prove a challenge and the former world number one, playing her first grand slam since returning from a 15-month doping ban, will be happy with a win of any sort against Timea Babos.

On paper the Hungarian should not present the same level of threat Sharapova faced in Halep but the five-time grand slam winner will be venturing into unknown against the world number 59.