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Cornet won a frenzied 85-minute match that
included five consecutive breaks of serve in the first set to
post a 6-3, 6-3 win over Makarova.
Cornet admitted it was difficult facing a Russian in the first
match of the Moscow-based tournament, but dismissed the notion
of letting it serve as a distraction.
"I think the crowd was pretty nice to me. I had some fans and I
was hearing the support from them. It's never easy to play a
local in her hometown, but I was just focused on what I had to
do ... from the first to the last point."
Cornet will face the winner of Sharapova's match on Tuesday
against Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova.
Sharapova accepted a wild card to play her home WTA event for
the first time since 2007. She was twice a quarterfinalist at
the event in 2005 and 2006.
Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko saved five set points in the 12th game
of the opening set en route to posting a 7-6 (4), 6-3 triumph
over Christina McHale. Tsurenko needed 90 minutes to win the
first set before eventually dismissing the American in two
hours, 12 minutes.
Czech Katerina Siniakova had a much easier time of it, coasting
to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Croatian Donna Vekic in a match that
lasted just 49 minutes.
Belarus' Aliaksandra Sasnovich overcame a disastrous first set
to record a 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Timea Babos of Hungary.
She will face top-seeded Kristina Mladenovic.
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