Eugenie Bouchard was the latest player to attack Sharapova, who the Canadian branded a "cheater" over her return from a drugs ban.
The Russian, who tested positive for meldonium at last year's Australian Open, held off the only break point for Makarova at 5-5, and converted her second chance in the next game to close out the opening set.
Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam victor who is making her comeback in Stuttgart after a 15-month doping ban, backed the new measures announced by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Sharapova has also been handed a wild-card entry into the Italian Open in Rome next month. There was no looking back after that as the five-time Grand Slam victor, apart from her booming returns, also impressed with her serves as she clinched the match with an ace.
Earlier this month, French Tennis Federation (FFT) president Bernard Giudicelli had hinted at their reservations to give the 30-year-old player a wild card entry which she would require as her world ranking has nearly disappeared during her absence. The media coverage on Sharapova's return after her doping scandal is a testament enough of her staying power and marketability.
The decision to give five-time Grand Slam victor Sharapova a wildcard entry for this event, as well as upcoming tournaments in Madrid and Rome, has been questioned by a number of players, including her Italian first-round opponent.
The former No. 1 entered the Stuttgart event on a wild card after losing her ranking because of the ban.
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Starting from the No. 5 post position, the 9-2 favorite made his push on the backstretch into the lead by the far turn. It was too quick last year for Nyquist, the sixth Derby victor in the last 10 years to come up short in Baltimore.
And the 30-year-old needs just one more win in Germany to book her place in French Open qualifying.
Asked by the media about the comments, Sharapova said: "I don't have anything to say - I am way above that".
"I can't control what people say, all I can is what I do out there, they are my words and I prefer to walk the walk and I have done it by winning five Grand Slam titles", she told a packed press conference.
The Russian, playing her first tournament since a 15-month suspension, beat Estonian Kontaveit 6-4 6-3.
Sharapova's first two double faults of the match while serving to win it delayed the inevitable in what proved to be the longest game, Kontaveit eventually taking a fifth break point to extend the contest.
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