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Reuters

Seven-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams looked in ominous form as she opened her 19th campaign at Melbourne Park with a 6-0, 6-3 trouncing of Anastasia Potapova on Monday.
American Williams, 38, arrived at the year’s first grand slam having won her first WTA title in three years and made short work of the out-gunned Russian teenager on Rod Laver Arena.
A clean cross-court winner gave the eighth seed the first set in under 20 minutes and although former Wimbledon junior champion Potapova made her fight harder in the second, the match was wrapped up inside an hour.
Williams will play Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek or South Korean wildcard Han Na-lae in the second round as she continues her quest to match Margaret Court’s record career tally of 24 grand slam singles titles.


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Serena Williams of the United States reacts during the women's quarter final match against Karolina Pliskova of the Cezch Republic at the 2018 US Open. Photo: Xinhua

(180905) -- NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Serena Williams of the United States hits a return during the women's quarterfinal match against Karolina Pliskova of the Cezch Republic at the 2018 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Sept. 4, 2018. Williams won 2-0. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, serves to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

(180905) -- NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Serena Williams of the United States celebrates after winning the women's quarterfinal match against Karolina Pliskova of the Cezch Republic at the 2018 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Sept. 4, 2018. Williams won 2-0. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

(180905) -- NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Sloane Stephens of the United States reacts after losing a point during the women's singles quarterfinal match against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia at the 2018 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Sept. 4, 2018. Sevastova won 2-0. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Australian Open: Serena Williams sweeps past teenager Potapova in Melbourne

Eighth seed gets off to a fine start in Melbourne