Live Commentary: Maria Sharapova vs. Alexandra Dulgheru - as it happened

That's all from this match, but stick around to read reports from the night session, with Venus Williams and Stanislas Wawrinka still to play today. Thanks for joining me this evening, goodbye.

It seems fitting that Sharapova wins it after Dulgheru is unable to return a ball that gets a lucky strike on the net chord from the Russian. It wasn't the best display from the fifth seed, but she does just enough to survive.

Maria Sharapova has a match point.

Sharapova doesn't push too hard, knowing that she'll have a chance to serve for the match next. Some good serves from the Romanian force a couple of long returns from the fifth seed before a solid forehand winner wraps it up for Dulgheru.

Sharapova stutters a little after taking a 30-0 lead, making a couple of errors to let Dulgheru back on level terms, but the fifth seed kept her focus, finding her best serves at the right time to secure the game. She's just one game off a place in the third round now.

The Romanian is ready to continue. The right wrist is her main hand so if the dressing has been irritating her that would have been a distraction. Let's see if the fresh dressing makes a difference.

It looks like Dulgheru is having the dressing changed. Hopefully it shouldn't take too long as Sharapova looks keen to get back on with the proceedings.

At the change of ends, Dulgheru is getting some attention from the trainer. She's been struggling with her movement for the last few games, but it actually seems to be the wrist that is bothering her, as the trainer examines a dressing that was already in place on her right wrist.

Sharapova fights for every point as she tries to wrap this set up as soon as possible. Despite bringing up a couple of break points against her weary opponent, Sharapova finally lets the world number 95 get a game on the board in the third set, as she sends her backhand long.

Dulgheru looks absolutely drained. She's still got plenty of power in her groundstrokes, but when Sharapova finds the sidelines, the Romanian can't give chase, allowing the fifth seed to wrap up another comfortable service game.

BREAK! It looks like Dulgheru's focus has gone. She doesn't get a single first serve in and makes a double fault as Sharapova races to a 40-0 lead. The Russian tries an ambitious backhand to wrap up the game, but fires wide. However, she gets the double break on the next point as the Romanian's forehand goes just long. This should just be a formality for the world number six now.

Sharapova backs up her early break with a comfortable hold of serve and she looks to be in control of the deciding set. A clumsy forehand from the Russian gives Dulgheru a chance at the start of the game, but the fifth seed is emphatic as she powers through the remainder of the game. It will be a pick test of character for Dulgheru now if she's to get back into this.

BREAK! Sharapova continues her momentum into the third set, making her opponent face three break points right at the start of the decider. Dulgheru digs deep, finding a couple of stunning forehand winners to pull the game back to deuce, but a mistake gives the Russian advantage, and she takes the game with a cross-court forehand.

After the best part of two tough hours of tennis on Arthur Ashe court, Dulgheru pops off the court for a comfort break and a change of shirt, but she's only a couple of minutes, and the players are now ready to get the deciding set underway. If it's anything like the first two, it promises to be a thriller.

A determined Maria #Sharapova surges back to win the second set 6-3 vs. #Dulgheru. On to a third on #Ashe! #usopen pic.twitter.com/XhQguvGKAx

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2014

On a side note, Sharapova has been pretty vocal from the start of this match, but the grunts have really gone up a few decibels in the last three of four games as she's started to look like she might be taking control of the match.

Dulgheru looks like a broken woman as she overhits a backhand, bringing up two set points for Sharapova, which the Russian claims at the first time of asking with a big serve. The Romanian looks like she's starting to tyre, while Sharapova finally seems to be finding her feet

Well Dulgheru will make the Russian try and serve the set out as she wraps up her most comfortable game of the set. Sharapova makes a number of poor returns as the Romanian quickly opens up a 40-0 lead, before the fifth seed smashed the ball well long. The Sharapova serve has been far from solid today, but she hasn't been broken yet in this set, can she hold on again now?

Dulgheru makes the fifth seed work for every point, but she manages to consolidate her break of serve, despite another double fault. It's been one a game in this set for Sharapova. The Romanian battles hard to try and get the break back, but a couple of backhand errors cost her. Sharapova is just a game away from being back on level terms.

BREAK! Finally it looks like Maria Sharapova has arrived! The world number six plays some fierce shots on her way to a 40-0 lead before Dulgheru blasts her forehand long. It feels like this could be a turning point for the Russian.

Sharapova continues to look well below par but somehow she manages to keep the set on serve. A double fault from the world number six takes the game to deuce, but a missed backhand from Dulgheru followed by a well-timed forehand from Sharapova clinches the game.

Sharapova makes a strong start to the game, winning the opening couple of points, but Dulgheru's serve is too strong for her to bring up a break point, as the Russian misses several returns to give her opponent the game.

After a couple of long games to start the set, it looks like Sharapova might be heading for a comfortable hold, but a double fault from the Russian allows Dulgheru back into the game. The fifth seed manages to seal it with a fantastic crosscourt backhand on the next point though.

Both players are really fighting for every point at he minute, they know that an early break in this set could be crucial. Sharapova has a chance to seal the game, but Dulgheru finds some big serves to force a string of errors from the fifth seed. This set is already over 20 minutes in and there have been just two games!

It's an epic start to the second set, with Sharapova taking over seven minutes to get the first game on the board. Another double fault from the Russian gave Dulgheru a chance to break, but the fifth seed showed some superb fight and determination to clinch the game. Could that be the start of the comeback?

Alexandra #Dulgheru grabs first set off #Sharapova, 6-4 in their R2 match on #Ashe. #usopen pic.twitter.com/VTHqqD6JDN — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2014

Dulgheru is certainly outplaying her world ranking this evening. Admittedly, Sharapova hasn't been at her best, but the Romanian has totally outclassed her from the baseline. The fifth seed needs to make a good start to the second set if she's to get back into this match.

Wow, what a fantastic set of tennis from Alexandra Dulgheru. The world number 95 has three set points when Sharapova tries too hard with her return, firing well long. The Romanian misses her first chance, but picks out a superb forehand down the sideline to wrap up the opener.

After a shaky start to the game, including a double fault, Sharapova holds serve to make her opponent try and serve out the set next. The world number six responded well after her double, smashing a forehand past her opponent before clinching the game with an ace down the middle of the court. Dulgheru faces a huge test of nerves next.

The pressure of leading seems to affect Dulgheru a little as she struggles with her ball toss in the windy conditions, but a fantastic backhand winner is enough for her to wrap up the game, leaving her just one away from securing the first set.

BREAK! Dulgheru goes a break up for the first time as Sharapova just can't find any consistency. The Russian loses four points in a row as she struggles to get to grips with the conditions on court, and the Romanian makes the most of the fifth seed's difficulties.

Sharapova makes some aggressive returns to bring up a chance for another break, but she fires long to bring up deuce before Dulgheru hits a powerful forehand past the Russian, and she gets the hold when the fifth seed slices wide on the next point. This is shaping up to be a very well-matched first set.

It's quite windy around the court today and is seems to be disrupting Sharapova somewhat. She eases to a 40-0 lead, but double faults before slicing her backhand well wide, while a forehand to the net brings up deuce. However, the fifth seed digs deep, clinching the game with a smash. Dulgheru certainly looks capable of testing the 2006 champion today, as she's looked far from her best so far.

Sharapova is on the attack as she tries to force another break, but Dulgheru moves quickly around the court to return a drop shot from the Russian to win a lengthy rally. The Romanian really seems to be finding her rhythm as she hits some superb groundstrokes to comfortably seal the game.

BREAK BACK! Sharapova isn't quite up to speed on her serving yet, as she misses a couple of first serve to give Dulgheru a foothold. However, two big serves got the scores back level before the Russian got the better of her opponent in a lengthy rally. Sharapova can't keep her consistency though, as she misses a couple of forehands to give Dulgheru a chance to break back, which she does when the fifth seed's forehand fails to clear the net.

BREAK! Sharapova returns superbly to take the game to deuce, while Dulghera struggles with her backhand. The Romanian blasts the ball well long to give her opponent a chance to get an early break on the board, and Sharapova takes in when the world number 95 fires the ball into the net.

Sharapova takes a couple of points to dial herself in, initially allowing Dulgheru to take the lead after hitting a couple of balls into the net, but an ace followed by a big forehand turns things around for the Russian, before the Romanian fires long. Not the most clinical game from the fifth seed, but she does enough to hold her opening serve.

It looks like the players are ready to begin, with Sharapova serving first.

The players are now on the Arthur Ashe court warming up for their match. Sharapova, who is ranked sixth in the world, is the fifth seed at this event.

Let's take a closer look at Sharapova's opponent while we're waiting for the players. Alexandra Dulgheru might not be the best known player on the women's tour, but she's ranked as high as 26 during her career. She showed plenty of promise in 2010, reaching the third round in three of the Slams, but has been blighted by injuries since then. This is just her third appearance in one of the big four events since 2011, having focused on the challengers circuit for the last few years.

If you're keen to catch up on what's happened so far on the third day of competition in New York, you can find the latest live scores and match reports for the completed ties so far on our US Open page.

Sharapova has only once failed to reach at least the third round at the US Open, except for in 2008 and last year when she missed the tournament with injury. The Russian was knocked out in round two on her debut in 2002, but has won the event, had two semi-final appearances and a fourth round spot since then. Her record at Flushing Meadows is actually her worst of the four Grand Slam, so she'll surely be keen to correct that this year.

This will be just the third time that Sharapova has faced the Romanian. She's won both of her two previous meetings with Dulgheru, with the first coming in three sets in Miami in 2011, before dispatching her in straight sets at Madrid last year.

Good evening! Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova is due on Arthur Ashe court in the next couple of moments as she attempts to win her second major title of the year. She faces world number 95 Alexandra Dulgheru for a spot in the third round.