Sharapova was broken in the first game but fought back to draw level before going on to take the first set with a hold to love.
In-form Swiss man in fray to become only the fifth player in the professional era to win the French and Wimbledon back-to-back
Masks were required and high-fives banned, with signs reminding those in attendance to maintain proper social distancing.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic is the top seed in the men's draw which includes five-times US Open champion and 17-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer as seventh seed - his first time the Swiss has been placed outside the top three in a Grand Slam in over ten years.
British player Dan Evans has been provisionally suspended after admitting on Friday that he had failed a doping test for cocaine at the Barcelona Open in April.
Already without the likes of Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils for the final against Croatia, Noah decided to leave out Lucas Pouille, the top-ranked player in his squad.
Top seed and defending champion Roger Federer battled past in-form Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the last-16 at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.
World number one Novak Djokovic blasted past qualifier Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-2 to reach the second round of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.
World No 1s Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber have been named top seeds for the first major of the season, Australian Open, which will commences on January 16.
World No 1 Serena Williams kept her Wimbledon title defence on track on Sunday, downing Germany's Annika Beck 6-3, 6-0 with a crushing display of power and booming serves.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Novak Djokovic recovered from a slow start as he continued the bid to retain his world number one ranking with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over 14th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris Masters third round.
Lleyton Hewitt waved goodbye to the US Open on Thursday, the tenacious Australian dragged kicking and screaming to the Flushing Meadows exit by countryman Bernard Tomic.
Juan Martin del Potro continued his encouraging buildup to the Australian Open by reaching the semi-finals of the Sydney International on Thursday, but women's contender Petra Kvitova was stunned by a Bulgarian qualifier in the last four.
Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are top seeds at the major starting Monday
Reigning champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have been named top seeds for the Australian Open starting on Monday.
US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, starts Monday, August 28, at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Madison Keys beat fellow American CoCo Vandeweghe for the second time in eight days with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory on Monday to reach the second round of the Cincinnati Open.
Tennis: Felix Auger-Aliassime toppled in Morocco
PHOTOS from day two of the Wimbledon championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Tuesday.
Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams face challenging early tests at the US Open following Friday's draws for the year's last Grand Slam starting on Monday.
World number five Juan Martin del Potro began his 2014 season with a win, albeit a scrappy one over Frenchman Nicolas Mahut to advance to the quarter-finals of the Sydney International on Wednesday.
Top 10 seeds David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Stan Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet raced into the second round of the Australian Open on Monday, apparently eager to make the most of relatively mild conditions at Melbourne Park.
Roger Federer said he trusts the anti-doping procedures in tennis despite rival Novak Djokovic's claim that fellow Serb's Victor Troicki's one-year ban was the result of negligence by the authorities.
Rafael Nadal left German qualifier Yannick Maden no hope as he booked his ticket for the third round of the French Open in ruthless fashion with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Top seed Roger Federer will challenge for a ninth Halle Open title after reaching the Wimbledon warm-up event final with a 6-4 7-6(5) victory over rising Russian talent Karen Khachanov on Saturday.
Images from Day 3 of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros, in Paris, on Tuesday.
Nick Kyrgios has accused Olympic great Dawn Fraser of being a 'blatant racist'.
Raucous home support for holders Argentina did not make up for the absence of Juan Martin del Potro and Federico Delbonis on Friday as they fell 2-0 behind to Italy in the first round of the Davis Cup.
World number one Simona Halep saved three match-points before edging past an inspired Lauren Davis 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 in a thrilling marathon to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
Rediff.com brings you a glance of all the action from the week gone by.
Roger Federer's straight sets victory over Richard Gasquet in the Davis Cup final against France on Sunday not only made Switzerland only the 14th nation to win tennis's prestigious trophy, but also completed the final piece in the Swiss's puzzle.
Top seed Novak Djokovic has been starved of competitive action at the US Open but on Sunday the World No 1 feasted on unseeded Briton Kyle Edmund in a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 romp that put him into the quarter-finals.
Rediff.com gives you a throwback to an eventful 2017, in pictures.
Former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro underlined his status as a dark horse for next week's Australian Open by hammering Dmitry Tursunov to reach the final of the Sydney International on Friday.
Third seed Stan Wawrinka was sent packing in the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in California on Wednesday and was very nearly joined by Rafael Nadal, who pulled off a Houdini-like escape to reach the last eight.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday.
Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic gave Australia an unwanted reputation as a breeding ground for tennis brats during a tempestuous 2015 and the pair will be firmly under the spotlight in front of home crowds at Melbourne Park. With former world number one Lleyton Hewitt set to retire and the last of his two grand slam titles at the 2002 Wimbledon championships a distant memory, Australia has long yearned for a new force in men's tennis to challenge at the majors. Tomic, 23, and Kyrgios, 20, have both been tagged as the future of the sport in the country but the excitement generated by their undeniable talent gave way to dismay last season as the pair hogged the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The winners of the season's first three grand slams Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal put on a masterclass at the Western and Southern Open on Wednesday, strolling into the third round with straight sets wins.
Novak Djokovic continued his Wimbledon preparations by beating American Donald Young 6-2, 7-6(9) on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Aegon International tournament at Eastbourne.
