NEW YORK: Former world number one Maria Sharapova battled back on Wednesday to reach the third round of the US Open while next-generation rising stars Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios crashed out.

The 146th-ranked Sharapova, who downed second-ranked Simona Halep in her first Grand Slam match after a 15-month doping ban, defeated Hungary’s 59th-ranked Timea Babos 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 30-year-old Russian next faces Russian-born US teen Sofia Kenin, who overpowered fellow American Sachia Vickery 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-0).

Sharapova, whose five Grand Slam titles include the 2006 US Open, played only one Open tune-up match after a forearm injury but wore down Halep and Babos to prove she’s a threat for a deep run, with Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova her top-ranked potential semi-final obstacle.

Men’s fourth seed Zverev, whose five ATP titles this year include a win over Roger Federer in this month’s Montreal final, fell to 61st-ranked Croatian Borna Coric 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-4).

The 20-year-old German had been the highest-ranked player in his half of an injury-hit Open draw.

“It’s upsetting because the draw is pretty open in the bottom part,” Zverev said. “I felt like I should have been the favorite there. I just played a very, very bad match, so it’s unfortunate.”

Coric, who faces South African Kevin Anderson for a last-16 berth, was one point from a fifth set before winning five in a row to force the deciding tie-breaker.

“I was just thinking to keep the points shorter,” Coric said.

Zverev’s ouster left US 10th seed John Isner the top-ranked player in his draw quarter and Croatian fifth seed Marin Cilic the best in his half of the draw.

Wimbledon runner-up Cilic, the 2014 US Open winner, reached the third round by beating Germany’s Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Kyrgios, the 14th seed and former top-rated obstacle in Federer’s quarter-final path, hurt his right shoulder in a 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 first-round loss to 235th-ranked fellow Aussie John Millman.

Kyrgios, 22, dropped eight of the last nine games.

“Nick’s shoulder deteriorated as the match went on,” Millman said after his first US Open triumph. “It’s a victory but slightly hollow.”

Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem ousted Aussie Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-1, 6-1. Thiem is the highest-ranked rival on the Federer and Nadal side of the draw.

Canadian 18-year-old qualifier Denis Shapovalov defeated French eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to book a third-round date with Britain’s Kyle Edmund.

Shapovalov became the youngest man in the third round of a Grand Slam since Bernard Tomic at the 2011 Australian Open and at the US Open since American Donald Young in 2007.

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza reached the US Open third round for the first time by beating China’s 92nd-ranked Duan Ying-Ying 6-4, 6-0.

Beating Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova to reach the last 16 would put the third-seeded Spaniard atop a fight for world number one that was trimmed to six women when Danish fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki lost to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1.

Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, rescued three match points in defeating 67th-ranked Czech Marketa Vondrousova 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) to stay in the hunt for number one.

Ukraine’s fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina did as well, downing 42nd-ranked Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-0, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3.

Another top spot hopeful is seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, the 37-year-old US ninth seed who beat France’s Oceane Dodin 7-5, 6-4.

Results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men’s singles:

Second round: Denis Shapovalov (Canada) bt 8-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); Radu Albot (Moldova) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) 6-2, 7-6 (9-7), 5-7, 0-6, 7-6 (7-2); Thomas Fabbiano (Italy) bt Jordan Thompson (Australia) 2-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Mikhail Kukushkin (Kazakhstan) bt Evgeny Donskoy (Russia) 6-4, 6-4, 7-5; Kyle Edmund (Britain) bt Steve Johnson (US) 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); Borna Coric (Croatia) bt 4-Alexander Zverev (Germany) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-4); 29-Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) bt Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) 6-2, 6-4, 7-5; 5-Marin Cilic (Croatia) bt Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; 23-Mischa Zverev (Germany) bt Benoit Paire (France) 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (3-7), 7-5; 28-Kevin Anderson (South Africa) bt Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) 6-3, 7-5, 6-4; Nicolas Mahut (France) bt 20-Albert Ramos (Spain) 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; Paolo Lorenzi (Italy) bt 19-Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4,) 6-3; 12-Pablo Carreno (Spain) bt Cameron Norrie (Britain) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3; 16-Lucas Pouille (France) bt Jared Donaldson (US) 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4; 17-Sam Querrey (US) bt Dudi Sela (Israel) 6-4, 6-1, 6-4; 10-John Isner (US) bt Chung Hyeon (South Korea) 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

First round: 31-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) bt Andrey Kuznetsov (Russia) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (5-7) 6-2; Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (Germany) bt Nicolas Kicker (Argentina) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1; Malek Jaziri (Tunisia) bt Thiago Monteiro (Brazil) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4; 11-Roberto Bautista (Spain) bt Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-2, 4-6, 6-,2 7-6 (7-1); Dustin Brown (Germany) bt Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2; Andrey Rublev (Russia) bt Aljaz Bedene (Britain) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; Fernando Verdasco (Spain) bt Vasek Pospisil (Canada) 6-2, 0-0 — Pospisil retired; 9-David Goffin (Belgium) bt Julien Benneteau (France) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; 24-Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) bt Henri Laaksonen (Switzerland) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5); 33-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) bt Tim Smyczek (US) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; Viktor Troicki (Serbia) bt Norbert Gombos (Slovakia) 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3; Taylor Fritz (US) bt Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; Damir Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina) bt 27-Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1; John Millman (Australia) bt 14-Nick Kyrgios (Australia) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1; Stefano Travaglia (Italy) bt 22-Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6-4, 7-6 (10-8), 3-6, 6-0; Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) bt Blaz Kavcic (Slovenia) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Taro Daniel (Japan) bt Tommy Paul (US) 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; 7-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) bt Vaclav Safranek (Czech Republic) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3; 30-Adrian Mannarino (France) bt Ricardas Berankis (Lithuania) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2; Guido Pella (Argentina) bt Steve Darcis (Belgium) 6-1, 6-2, 6-0; 18-Gael Monfils (France) bt Jeremy Chardy (France) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 6-4; 15-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) bt Ryan Harrison (US) 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); Bjorn Fratangelo (US) bt Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4); Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) bt 26-Richard Gasquet (France) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2; Adrian Menendez (Spain) bt Patrick Kypson (US) 6-4, 7-6 (11-9), 6-1; Donald Young (US) bt Maximilian Marterer (Germany) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4; 6-Dominic Thiem (Austria) bt Alex De Minaur (Australia) 6-4, 6-1, 6-1; Yuichi Sugita (Japan) bt Geoffrey Blancaneaux (France) 6-2, 6-2, 6-0; Santiago Giraldo (Colombia) bt Vincent Millot (France) 6-1, 6-0, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4.

Women’s singles:

Second round: 3-Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) bt Duan Yingying (China) 6-4, 6-0; 9-Venus Williams (US) bt Oceane Dodin (France) 7-5, 6-4; Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) bt 5-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-2 ,6-7 (5-7), 6-1; Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) bt 29-Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Croatia) 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2; 18-Caroline Garcia (France) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (Russia) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; 31-Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) bt Kristyna Pliskova (Czech Republic) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3); Sloane Stephens (US) bt 11-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3; 16-Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) bt Kateryna Kozlova (Ukraine) 6-4, 6-4; Donna Vekic (Croatia) bt 22-Peng Shuai (China) 6-0, 6-2; Ashleigh Barty (Australia) bt Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) 6-1, 7-6 (9-7); Aleksandra Krunic (Serbia) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (Australia) 6-3, 6-2; 30-Julia Goerges (Germany) bt Zheng Saisai (China) 6-2, 6-1; Maria Sakkari (Greece) bt Arina Rodionova (Australia) 7-5, 6-3; 13-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) bt Alize Cornet (France) 6-1, 6-2; Sofia Kenin (US) bt Sachia Vickery (US) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-0); Maria Sharapova (Russia) bt Timea Babos (Hungary) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-1.

First round: 25-Daria Gavrilova (Australia) bt Allie Kiick (US) 6-2, 6-1; 10-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) bt Petra Martic (Croatia) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); 20-CoCo Vandeweghe (US) bt Alison Riske (US) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) bt Sofya Zhuk (Russia) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; 8-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) bt Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2); Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) bt Brienne Minor (US) 6-1, 7-5; Shelby Rogers (US) bt Kayla Day (US) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Nao Hibino (Japan) bt Catherine Bellis (US) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5; Denisa Allertova (Czech Republic) beat Rebecca Peterson (Sweden) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5); Ana Bogdan (Romania) bt Taylor Townsend (US) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Tatjana Maria (Germany) bt Ashley Kratzer (US) 6-1, 6-1; Evgeniya Rodina (Russia) bt Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) 7-6 (7-2), 6-1; 4-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) bt Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) 6-0, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3; Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) bt Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 0-6, 6-4, 6-2; Jennifer Brady (US) bt Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Monica Niculescu (Romania) bt 14-Kristina Mladenovic (France) 6-3, 6-2; Nicole Gibbs (US) bt Veronica Cepede Royg (Paraguay) 6-0, 1-6, 6-1; Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) bt 26-Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-4; Christina McHale (US) bt 19-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Daria Kasatkina (Russia) bt Wang Qiang (China) 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-3; Risa Ozaki (Japan) bt Danielle Lao (US) 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5); Kurumi Nara (Japan) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spain) 6-1, 6-2; Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) bt Madison Brengle (US) 6-2, 6-3; 17-Elena Vesnina (Russia) bt Anna Blinkova (Russia) 6-1, 6-3; 27-Zhang Shuai (China) bt Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0.—