Australian Open: Serena Williams wins first competitive match in fourth months

Konta, who was born in Sydney and represented Australia until 2012, returned to the same court where she practised as a youngster to beat Williams 6-4 6-2.

Now, in her first Australian main-draw, Konta was after her first win of the season, and centre stage on Rod Laver arena, in the heat of the afternoon. She withdrew from the Hopman Cup because of inflammation in her knee, playing just one set in Perth.

“I think I served really good and I played a solid match but I feel like I can improve even more so I think that’s a positive”.

Konta was making her Australian Open debut, but has played well in the past against top-10 opponents.

Britain’s number one Johanna Konta outclassed eighth seed Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 to reach the second round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Williams will next face world No. 69 Daria Kasatkina after the young Russian accounted for Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-4 6-3. She then raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second set to put the match away.

“I have strong belief in the way I want to play out there and the way I want be thinking”. “As an athlete, I do everything I can to be not only great, but, you know, historic”. “Do we have any more questions?” she said. “I’m definitely not going to excel at that shot”.

Keys has a new coach to start the new season.

The Chinese woman turns 27 on the day of her second ever Grand Slam match, a birthday present and a half, but for now, she gave way to a truly emotional moment: She could not hold back the tears as the full arena cheered and cheered.

Yet in the upset of the tournament so far, David beat Goliath-and Zhang did not just beat Halep but did so in spectacular style, on the front foot, in 78 minutes, 6-4, 6-3: 31 winners to 24 errors, 10/12 net points to her name, and a date with Alize Cornet in Round 2. Pouille, a 21-year-old Frenchman, entered the match with a 1-7 record in Grand Slam matches and with a No. 90 ranking.

The seven-time major champion was fined $3,000 for the same offence at last year’s French Open after she lost to fellow American Sloane Stephens.

Williams looked nearly certain to become the first player since Steffi Graf in 1988, and just the sixth overall, to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam after reaching the semi-finals of the US Open in September.

“Yeah, I had a few problems but, well, I think I’m recovered now”, she said of the foot problem, “so very good”.