Maria Sharapova into round three at Roland Garros

Maria Sharapova has advanced to the third round of the French Open thanks to this afternoon's straight-sets victory over Tsvetana Pironkova.

Things didn't begin well for the Russian as she was broken in the very first game before levelling the set at 4-4.

It looked like a tie-break would be needed in the opener but Sharapova struck again in the 12th game to snatch the set 7-5 in just under an hour.

The 2012 Roland Garros champion made lighter work of it in the second, breaking her Bulgarian opponent twice en route to a 7-5 6-2 success.

She will next face either Monica Niculescu or Paula Ormaechea in the last 32.