Carlsbad, August 2:

Martina Hingis eased back into the Acura Classic beating American qualifier Meilen Tu 6-2, 6-3 in the second round on Tuesday. Hingis took 66 minutes to win her first match in Carlsbad since 2001. She won the tournament in 1997 and 1999.

Sharapova, ranked No 4, was pushed hard early before rebounding to win 6-4, 6-1 over fellow Russian Vasilisa Bardina. Vaidisova of the Czech Republic topped Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-1, 6-0.

First-round winners included Russian Vera Zvonareva, Hantuchova of Slovakia, and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia.

Hantuchova was dominating Kveta Peschke 6-1, 4-0 when the Czech retired with a right thigh strain. Srebotnik outserved Marion Bartoli of France 6-3, 6-0. American qualifier Amy Frazier came back from 5-3 down in the second set to beat French Tatiana Golovin 6-3, 7-6. Argentina’s Gisela Dulko beat Israel’s Shahar Peer 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Also through were Sania Mirza of India, Elena Vesnina of Russia, who knocked out 10th-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, and American wild card Ashley Harkleroad.