Maria Sharapova routs Beatrice Capra 6-0, 6-0 at U.S. Open | Tennis

NEW YORK — Maria Sharapova's familiar guttural shriek cut through the rippling wind, reminding doe-eyed opponent Beatrice Capra the tennis court is no place for mercy, and certainly not sympathy.

After all, Sharapova was 17, a year younger than Capra is, when she won her first Grand Slam tournament title at Wimbledon. She won the U.S. Open four years ago.

Before walking on court, Sharapova shot American Capra, an 18-year-old wild card ranked No. 371 in the world, an icy glare for an introduction. It was only after the Russian pummeled Capra with cross-court winners and steamrollered her 6-0, 6-0 to capture a spot in the round of 16 that she sweetly congratulated her on her tournament.

"She's obviously the best player I've played against," Capra said. "When you're losing that bad, it's just in your head, like, just please let me win one game."

The 14th-seeded Sharapova was not tuned to her pleas, intent only on winning that next point.

"It's really intimidating, actually," Capra said. "You know, even though she's beating me that badly she's still so focused."

Sharapova, 23, still climbing back from the effects of 2008 shoulder surgery, will test her game and her resolve in the next round against the field's toughest opponent — top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan.

"She's a fighter, she never gives up," Wozniacki, 20, said of Sharapova.

On a day when players had to outlast windy conditions as much as their opponents, the biggest upset happened in the opening match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia found herself unhinged in the wind and Kaia Kanepi, an Estonian seeded 31st, knocked her out with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) victory.

"It was really tough out there," Jankovic said. "I had a hard time serving. You toss the ball, and it was all over the place. And then you hit the ball one direction, it goes another. You're just getting ready to hit the ball and just moves away from you.

"She handled the wind a lot better than I did."

On the men's side, the five-time U.S. Open champion, Roger Federer of Switzerland, had no trouble with Paul-Henri Mathieu, eliminating the Frenchman 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

American Mardy Fish, seeded 19th, earned a standing ovation on Louis Armstrong Court after his dramatic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory over Arnaud Clement of France.

"It was just a mental battle to see who could stay in points the longest," Fish said.

Third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia ousted American James Blake 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

France's Gael Monfils, the 17th-seeded player, beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-4.