Serena Williams Begins Bid for Fourth Title With Comfortable Victory

Serena Williams began her bid to win the Australian Open for a fourth time in emphatic fashion, the No2 seed swatting aside China's Meng Yuan 6-3, 6-2.

The American, who won the title in 2003, 2005 and 2007, needed little over an hour to secure victory over the world No123. Williams, who could meet her sister Venus in the quarter-finals, will face either Anastasiya Yakimova or Gisela Dulko in round two.

The No4 seed Elena Dementieva face a sterner test and dropped a set to Kristina Barrois of Germany. The Russian, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year, eventually won through 7-6, 2-6, 6-1.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska became one of the few seeds to depart in the opening round. The No9 seed was beaten 7-6, 4-6 6-1 by the world No59 Kateryna Bondarenko. The No28 seed Francesca Schiavone also made an early exit, losing 7-6, 6-1 to China's Shuai Peng.