US Open, Flushing Meadows
Dates: 30 August - 12 September Start time: 1600 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles; updates on BBC Radio 5 live; live on Sky Sports

Sharapova is trying to retain the title she won back in 2006

Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic came through tough opening encounters to reach round two of the US Open at Flushing Meadows, New York.

Fourth seed Jankovic was given a huge scare by 18-year-old Romanian Simona Halep in the afternoon heat but dug in to win 6-4 4-6 7-5.

And 2006 champion Sharapova battled hard to see off Australia's Jarmila Groth 3-6 6-3 6-1 in the evening.

Caroline Wozniacki thrashed Chelsey Gullickson 6-1 6-1 in the late match.

The Dane, playing as the top seed at a Grand Slam for the first time, was far too strong for the American wildcard who had never before played a tour-level match.

Wozniacki goes on to face Kai-Chen Chang of Chinese Taipei in round two.

These are the types of matches you want to get through to try and get better Maria Sharapova

The world number two enjoyed a far smoother ride than Jankovic in her earlier two-hour-and-20-minute encounter with world number 96 Halep, whose only previous Grand Slam match was a first round loss at this year's French Open.

Halep failed to qualify in Cincinnati, Montreal and New Haven in the build-up to Flushing Meadows, but came within two points of claiming the biggest win of her career.

Jankovic made 48 unforced errors to her opponent's 36 and sent down seven doubles faults in an error-strewn display.

The 2008 runner-up was clearly troubled by the stifling temperatures and swirling wind on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and looked to be heading out when Halep came from a set down to level the match and broke for a 5-4 lead in the third.

But Jankovic hit back, held serve for a 6-5 lead and then secured the 15th break of the match to seal victory.

"It was really a tough match," said the former world number one. "I had to get used to conditions. It was really hot and quite windy. I was a little bit nervous, so I'm very happy to get through.

"For me, first match is always the toughest. She played really well and I had to work for every point. I wasn't playing my best tennis so I'm lucky to get through and have a chance to play another match."

Groth had looked like being a tough draw for Sharapova and so it proved, with the Australian's aggression from the baseline helping her dominate the opening exchanges.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on Tuesday's matches at the US Open

Sharapova found her serve being relentlessly attacked but stayed in the match through sheer grit and turned it around as Groth's form faded, with 14 double faults proving key to her undoing.

"I knew I had a tough first-round opponent," said Sharapova. "She came out firing and didn't give me many opportunities. These are the types of matches you want to get through to try and get better."

Next up for Jankovic is Lucic after the Croatian qualifier beat Australia's Alicia Molik 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 on Court 6.

For Lucic, attempting a comeback at age 28 after missing four seasons because of family issues and money problems, it was a first Grand Slam win since the 2002 French Open.

"I feel fantastic," said the 1999 Wimbledon semi-finalist. "I'm so happy. I worked so hard to get here. It feels incredible, so rewarding.

"It was just unfortunate why I haven't played but my dream never died. I was just waiting for an opportunity and now I have it."

Ex-champion Svetlana Kuznetsova did not have everything her own way and overcame a mid-match blip to beat Kimiko Date Krumm 6-2 4-6 6-1.

The number 11 seed from Russia, who won the US Open in 2004 and reached the final in 2007, powered through the first set but a glut of unforced errors allowed her veteran Japanese opponent to level.

Date Krumm turns 40 in September and was bidding to become the third oldest woman to win a match in the Open era.

But she lost her rhythm as the heat began to soar in the deciding set and Kuznetsova was eventually rewarded for the more attacking approach.

"That was a very tough match - she plays a very different game to everyone I've ever played before," said Kuznetsova, who next faces Anastasija Sevastova.

There were more comfortable victories for seventh seed Vera Zvonareva, ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, number 18 seed Aravane Razai and 15th seed Yanina Wickmayer.

But eighth seed Li Na of China suffered a 2-6 6-4 6-2 defeat by the unseeded Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko, and Germany's Andrea Petkovic beat 17th seed Nadia Petrova 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-4) in a dramatic late finish on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

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