The 42nd-ranked Bulgarian had never beaten the Russian in four previous attempts, but started in a hurry, breaking immediately on her least-preferred surface, before consolidating the advantage to have the seventh seed trailing 4-2.
As a qualifier, Pironkova claimed her first title at the Premier-level event in Sydney to begin the year and is better known for her feats on the faster Wimbledon surface, where she has twice beaten Venus Williams en route to quarter-final and semi-final appearances.
In the cold, drizzly conditions though, Sharapova soon found her range, breaking to level at 4-4 before luck fell her way; she sealed the set with a break of serve when her backhand trickled over the net out of reach of the fleet-footed Pironkova.
Grabbing at her left hip throughout the latter stages of the opening set, the Bulgarian had a lengthy injury treatment at the end of the set and managed to stick with the former world No.1 on serve until trailing 3-2.
Further treatment on her troublesome hip did not bode well and from there she would not win another game; the Russian booking her place in the third round on the back of 22 winners, double what her opponent could produce.
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