For although this was nominally a first-round encounter between German workhorse Tatjana Maria and the meticulously chic Maria Sharapova, there was a sense that the greater struggle was the Russian's attempt to regain consistent excellence in her game.

That, and another step in resurrecting her tarnished image.

Sharapova was back at Melbourne Park for the first time since her 2016 quarter-final loss, an absence caused by a 15-month suspension for a positive drug test at that same tournament. For her part, Sharapova has maintained throughout that she was unaware the over-the-counter supplement she had been taking for more than a decade had been added to WADA's prohibited list on New Year's Day 2016.

The saga did nothing to diminish the support for Sharapova among the fans at Margaret Court Arena on day two. There was a heartfelt cheer - and not a hint of rancour - when she stepped onto the court, and an even louder one when her name was proclaimed by the courtside announcer.

After her 6-1, 6-4 victory, Sharapova spoke of how it was "really meaningful for me to be back out here today".

"I've got shivers," she said. "It means a lot to me. I cherish these moments, I love it."

For Sharapova, the repercussions of her enforced absence are not so much about moral enlightenment or concerns about the nature of the barracking from the stands.

"Honestly, you know, I think I made a choice by coming back and by playing again," she said. "With that choice I know that I face difficulties and challenges on the court and that I start from no ranking and that I might start on some outside courts, and I understand that and that's part of the process, and I'm here to work through that.

"I learned what it feels like to be on the ground and seeing life from the ground, and I'm not shy, I'm not shying away from any part of that.

"I love what I do. I'm a competitor and that's why I continue to do it and where I think I display that. The moment I don't have that anymore will be a moment I won't play."

Remarkably this was the first meeting between the two Marias, despite both having been on the same tour for more than a decade.

The two 30-year-old Europeans are only separated by 111 days in age and one rung on the world rankings ladder, but there is a vast gulf in profile that includes a difference of 35 career tour titles, $35 million in career prizemoney and about 8.5 million Twitter followers.

Maria, whose daughter Charlotte turned four last month, only cracked a top-50 ranking in 2017, the high watermark of her 15-year pro career. She has never played in a WTA tour final, let alone won a title, but played in more events last year than any other leading player.

Her match against Sharapova began with the Russian claiming eight of the first 10 points on her way to dominating the first set. Sharapova's greatest concern appeared to be the numerous false starts with her ball toss while serving.

Inexplicably, though, Sharapova dropped her serve to love early in the second set, on the back of a double fault and then three unforced errors. Her response was to peel off the next four games, effectively ending the contest.

After the match Sharapova was too wily to be drawn into predictions on whether she could add the 2018 Australian title to the one she won a decade ago.

"I know that nothing will be handed to me or anyone," she said. "You have to work for every point in a match. It's too far to tell.

"I'm not overly confident. I have expectations because of my previous results in my career, and I know at what level I can play and what tennis I can produce. But I'm also realistic, and the process of coming back takes time."

But with Serena Williams absent and Venus Williams rolled on the opening day, Sharapova is by far the most experienced big-game player left in the draw. Serena has played in 28 grand slam finals (23 wins), Venus 14 (7) and Sharapova 10 (5), including four Australian Open finals (1 win).

Along with Germany's Angelique Kerber (2016), she remains one of only two former women's champions still in action here.

After so long out of the game, lifting the Daphne Akhurst Trophy - which she controversially paraded at the tournament draw last week - would be an incredibly tough ask. Sharapova would become just the 10th woman in history to do so in her 30s.

But only a fool would write her off: As she wrote in her autobiography Unstoppable: "If I'm known for one thing, it's toughness, my ability to keep going when things look bad."

And the past two years are certainly a testament to that.