Top seeded Lleyton Hewitt rallied to a 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 win over Japan's Gouichi Motomura on Wednesday in the second round of the Japan Open.
Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova also advanced, beating Australian Samantha Stosur 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. The defending champion will face France's Youlia Fedossova, who beat Akiko Morigami 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
Hewitt, ranked No. 3 in the world, will face Japan's Takao Suzuki in the third round. Suzuki beat Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-5.
"I didn't serve well at all," Hewitt said. "When you haven't played in over a week it's a bit hard to come out and play your best tennis, but I expect to get stronger as the week goes on."
No. 7 American Taylor Dent beat Czech Tomas Zib 6-3, 6-4, while eighth-seeded Thomas Johansson of Sweden defeated Justin Gimelstob of the United States 6-4, 6-4. Gilles Muller of Luxembourg beat American Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-3, 6-1.
Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic upset second-seeded Tatiana Golovin of France 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, while Mashona Washington of the U.S. cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win over fourth-seeded Kristina Brandi of Puerto Rico.
Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand beat Jill Craybas of the U.S. 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), while Youlia Fedossova of France beat Akiko Morigami of Japan 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).
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