Serena off flying start

The victory marked the start of Williams' latest bid for a record-tying 24th major title. As she left the court she flexed her biceps, and later she donned a T-shirt that read “Unstoppable Queen.”

Melbourne: Serena Williams arrived ready to race at the Australian Open. In a colorful one-legged catsuit she said was inspired by former Olympic champion Florence Griffith Joyner, Williams shook off a wobbly start — opening with a double-fault and dropping her first service game — to sweep 10 consecutive games and beat Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-1 on the first day of the tournament.

The victory marked the start of Williams’ latest bid for a record-tying 24th major title. As she left the court she flexed her biceps, and later she donned a T-shirt that read “Unstoppable Queen.”

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“Vintage ‘Rena,” she said, describing her opening match and showing no signs of the right shoulder issue that led her to withdraw from the semifinals of a tuneup tournament last week.

She wasn’t the first Williams to reach the second round, however. Her sister, Venus, won a Grand Slam match for the first time since 2019. Playing in her 21st Australian Open, the elder Williams beat Kirsten Flipkens 7-5, 6-2. At 40, Venus is the oldest woman in this year’s draw and just the sixth player in her 40s to compete at the Australian Open.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who won the title in Melbourne two years ago, played the opening match in Rod Laver Arena and beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 6-2.

Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, made a successful return from a 15-month injury absence, serving herself out of a tough spot in the third set to beat Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Another Canadian on the comeback trail, Rebecca Marino beat wild-card entry Kimberly Birrell 6-0, 7-6 (9).

Marino was sidelined by depression and a serious foot injury. No. 23 Angelique Kerber, a three-time major champion and 2016 Australian Open winner, lost to American Bernarda Pera 6-0, 6-4. US Open champion Dominic Thiem was a break down and saved set points before beating veteran Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-3 in his first match at the tournament since losing last year’s final to top-ranked Novak Djokovic.

No. 6 Alexander Zverev lost the first set in a tiebreaker, after saving four set points, then lost his temper in the second and belted his racket into the court. Letting off a little steam worked for the US Open finalist, who recovered to beat No. 73-ranked Marcos Giron 6-7 (8), 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.

Also advancing were No. 14 Milos Raonic, the first man to finish the first round, former champion Stan Wawrinka and Americans Reilly Opelka, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz. No. 10-seeded Gael Monfils lost a marathon against Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 and his fellow Frenchman, No. 25 Benoit Paire, also was beaten in the first round.

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