• Australian Open, Day Two

Serena Williams breezes past Radwanska

A bandaged leg did not stop Serena Williams against Urszula Radwanska © Getty Images

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Click here for today's Men's round-up

Serena Williams opened up the defence of her Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-1 win over Urszula Radwanska. The four-time Melbourne champion came on court with a heavily-strapped right leg but it did not appear to cause her any discomfort as her Polish opponent was brushed aside.

Williams' power hitting proved too much for Radwanska and after the match she admitted she is looking to avoid a repeat of the injury that hampered her in Sydney last week. "Yeah, I've been having it strapped all week, all last week as well," she said. "So just keep it up and making sure I'm able to keep moving as best as I can. It's to support my hamstring, just to make sure that I don't have a Sydney moment."

Meanwhile, Venus Williams followed her sister into the second round with a convincing 6-2 6-2 victory over Lucie Safarova. The sixth seed stormed to an early lead and did not allow her Czech opponent to settle in the opening set. Although Safarova broke the first game of the second set, Williams responded immediately and eased to victory in just 71 minutes.

Ana Ivanovic is feeling her way back to form and the Serb cruised into the second round with a 6-2 6-3 win over Shenay Perry. "It was very good, I was pleased with the way I played," she said. "The conditions were very tough. It was very cold and windy and a lot different than Brisbane or what I been used to. But I just tried to work my way through, just taking time, try to stay composed. I thought I played well and served good."

Home favourite Sam Stosur was taken to three sets by Chinese qualifier Han Xinyun, but edged over the line 6-1 3-6 6-2. "I'm really happy to get through with the win," Stosur said. "It's always a relief to get through a first round."

And it was three out of three past the first hurdle for the Brits, with Katie O'Brien following Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha through to the second round. O'Brien had little problems as she breezed past Austrian Patricia Mayr 6-3 6-3, and she was delighted with her performance.

"I knew it was a good opportunity," she said. "I had a good draw and I knew I had to go out and compete. I'm trying to add aggression to my game. There were a few points I was disappointed with where I let her in, but the first match of a Grand Slam is always tough. I think I settled down well though.

O'Brien's second round opponent will be the eighth seed Jelena Jankovic, who made a scratchy opening before brushing aside Monica Niculescu 6-4 6-0. France's Marion Bartoli dropped just five games in her 6-4 6-1 win over Paraguayan Rossana de los Rios, but last year's French Open semi-finalist Dominika Cibulkova was beaten by Vania King 6-3 6-7(5) 7-5.

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