Red-hot Sharapova sizzles in win over Vinci

NEW YORK, Aug 29 (Reuters) Maria Sharapova, who ruled the 2006 US Open in an elegant, black tennis outfit, dressed in red for the opening match of her title defence and was on fire in a sizzling 6-0 6-1 romp over Italian Roberta Vinci.

Second seed Sharapova needed only 50 minutes to show she would be a force again at Arthur Ashe Stadium, blasting 30 winners against just three from the 51st-ranked Vinci.

The 20-year-old Russian showed off her fashion power with her entrance as the Lady in Red at the National Tennis Center.

''When you feel good about what you're wearing and you feel good about putting it on, you know what it's like,'' Sharapova told reporters after revealing she could hardly wait to change out of her warmup gear and into her new dress.

''Put on a nice outfit and some makeup and you're the bomb.'' Sharapova, plagued this season by a right shoulder injury that has limited her to one tournament title, used a shortened service action to ease the strain and was pleased with the results.

BETTER PLAYER The Russian was so dominant she was able to vary her game, serving and volleying occasionally and going to the net at every opportunity. She won 14 of 19 chances at the net.

''My serve becomes better when I jump forward and I move in,'' she said. ''It's a good way to practise it when you're up 30-love or 40-love.

''If I can add these things to my game now it'll only make me a better player in the coming years.'' Vinci finally got on the board at 5-1 in the second set, celebrating as though she was a point from winning, but Sharapova held serve in the next game to set up a clash with Australian left-hander Casey Dellacqua in the second round.

Sharapova said it was a thrill to return to the Open and it was clear she felt retaining her crown would rectify a disappointing year in which she lost the Australian Open final, fell in the French semi-finals and the fourth round at Wimbledon.

''Every corner I turn here I get goose bumps because of all the great memories,'' she said, adding that she could not wait to find herself pictured in the National Tennis Center corridors as one of the past US Open champions.

REUTERS BJR RK1042