BEIJING (AFP) Top seed Novak Djokovic and his main rival Andy Murray breezed into the second round of the China Open on Tuesday, restoring some order to a draw riddled with upsets, as Maria Sharapova was sent packing. Djokovic, the world number two and the defending champion in Beijing, showed little mercy to Chinese wild card entrant Gong Mao-Xin, wrapping up the 6-1, 6-3 win in just over an hour at the Olympic Green Tennis Centre. The 23-year-old Serb pummelled local favourite Gong appearing in only the second ATP tournament of his career from the backcourt and broke his serve four times. It feels good to be back at a court where Ive had a lot of success in the last couple of years, said Djokovic, who won bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 before taking the China Open title last year. Im hoping that I can raise the level in the next match. Murray, returning to action for the first time since a disappointing third-round defeat at the US Open, slammed 10 aces past French qualifier Paul-Henri Mathieu in an easy 6-2, 6-3 victory. The 23-year-old Scot, the second seed, said he was happy with his performance but acknowledged his fitness and health were still not 100 percent. It was a good first round. I started the match good and didnt really give him any opportunities, Murray, the world number four, told reporters. Ive been quite ill the last week. I started feeling better today, but I havent practised that much on the court... Im a little bit stiff and sore. In other mens first round action, Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer advanced easily. Tomas Berdych and Fernando Verdasco, the fifth and sixth seeds, crashed out of the tournament on Monday, denting their chances of qualifying for the season-ending ATP championship in London. On the womens side of the joint WTA/ATP event, Sharapova the Russian 12th seed and a three-time Grand Slam winner fell to countrywoman Elena Vesnina in the second round, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2. Sharapova, who struggled to win her first match, fell behind early in the first set and never recovered, clawing her way into a tiebreak only to lose it rather meekly. In the second set, Sharapova was even with her opponent at 2-2, but never won another game, offering the powerful Vesnina too many second serves to crush. Nine of the 16 seeds in the WTA event have now been eliminated, after eighth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was forced to retire from her match due to a left thigh strain. Seventh seed Elena Dementieva survived a three-set battle with 40-year-old Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Krumm to advance, while Italys Francesca Schiavone, the fifth seed, won easily. Top seed Caroline Wozniacki was due to begin her title campaign on Wednesday against Italys Sara Errani. The Dane needs just two wins in Beijing to secure the world number one ranking when a new list is issued next week. Both the WTA and ATP are hoping to use the 6.6-million-dollar China Open to make inroads in the vast Asian country, which they see as a strategic marketplace.