Serena Williams eases into second round in Melbourne
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ByEurosport
Updated 20/01/2015 at 12:16 GMT
Serena Williams's quest for a 19th Grand Slam title got off to the perfect start with a routine 6-0 6-4 win over Alison Van Uytvanck at the Australian Open.
Serena Williams of the U.S. signs autographs as she leaves the court after defeating Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium in their women's singles first round match at the Australian Open 2015 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 20, 2015
Image credit: Reuters
Having roared through the first set, Williams was on the back foot as the 106th-ranked 20-year-old went for broke, attacking the world number one's serve and pushing her behind the baseline.
However, the American world number one held firm and pounced when her opponent served to stay in the match, sealing the win with a blistering crosscourt return off her backhand.
Despite amassing 18 grand slam titles in a professional career spanning almost 20 years, Williams said she had felt nerves before the opening match of every major campaign and her opener at Melbourne Park was no exception.
"As always, I had the jitters going out in the first match of a grand slam," the 33-year-old told reporters.
"So, yeah, it's never super easy to be the one that everyone wants to beat. So I always have to be a little bit above.
"Overall it stays the same. But I just am more open to talking about it. Before I was very quiet about it.
"But even today I told (coach) Patrick (Mouratoglou), 'I'm a little nervous'. He's like, 'It's okay. Just make sure you keep your feet moving'."
Williams declared last year's victorious U.S. Open final against Caroline Wozniacki her most nervous match "period" because she was focused on winning her 18th major title.
The win drew her level in the all-time list of grand slam title winners with a duo of greats in Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.
A 19th would put Williams level with Helen Wills Moody and three behind Steffi Graf. Margaret Court holds the record with 24.
She next meets former world number two Vera Zvonareva, whose ranking has fallen out of the top 200 after struggling with injuries and playing only a handful of tournaments last season.
"It's going to be tough," Williams said.
"She's on the way back. I know she's been fighting and playing really hard ... I have to come out of the gates ready to go and be the best I can be."
Twice champion Victoria Azarenka, unseeded after an injury-ravaged 2014, proved she was a dangerous floater in the draw as she got back to her banshee-screeching best, raising the decibel levels on Hisense Arena in a 6-3 6-2 win over American Sloane Stephens.
"Being an unseeded player, it's not a surprise that I have a tough draw or tough opponents in the early round," she said. "I just need to go through that."
The tournament does not get any easier for Azarenka with a second round clash against former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who eventually outfought American teenager Taylor Townsend 7-6(1) 6-2.
"It's going to be tough, she's won here before (and) not the easiest on paper," Wozniacki said of the second round clash.
"But at the same time... whether you have to beat her in the second round or fourth round, whatever, doesn't matter if you want to win the tournament."
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