Australian Open: Serena begins record bid with dominant win

Serena Williams started her latest bid for a record-equalling 24th grand slam with a win over Laura Siegemund at the Australian Open.

Williams thrashed the German 6-1 6-1 in front of a small, unmasked crowd on Rod Laver Arena.

Us Open Champion Naomi Osaka also made a convincing start with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

But former champion Angelique Kerber was the first seed to be knocked out.

The German 23rd seed, who was one of 72 players to spend 14 days in hard quarantine before the tournament  confined to a hotel room and unable to train outside was beaten 6-0 6-4 by American Bernarda Pera.

Both Williams and Osaka had withdrawn from warm-up events last week with shoulder issues but neither showed any sign of injury as they made swift progress to the second round.

They will be joined by Williams’ 40-year-old sister Venus, who beat Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens 7-5 6-2.

Osaka will play France’s Caroline Garcia next, while the elder Williams sister faces veteran Sara Errani.