SERENA WILLIAMS launched her bid for a 23rd Grand Slam title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open yesterday.

    The six-time Australian Open champion improved her impressive record in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments to 65-1.

    “She was just recently in the top 10. I knew it would be one of the toughest first-round matches I’ve ever played,” the newly engaged Williams said.

    In round two she’ll meet Lucie Safarova, who beat Yanina Wickmayer 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1.

    Bencic got one service break in the first set, but only took two points in the first three games on Williams’ serve in the second.

    Serving for the match at 6-4, 5-1, things changed for Williams. She finished her 2016 after the U.S. Open, resting injuries, and started 2017 with an error-prone loss in New Zealand.

    Williams served only her second double-fault of the match to give Bencic a break-point chance, and the Swiss teenager converted it with a crosscourt winning forehand.

    Bencic held at love to close the gap, but then faced a match point.

    Williams double-faulted again on her first match point, but made no mistake on her second. She finished with 30 winners and 30 unforced errors, eight errors and four double-faults.

    Karolina Pliskova and Johanna Konta both made their Grand Slam breakthroughs last year, both prepared for the season’s first major with title runs in Australia and both advanced with straight sets wins.

    U.S. Open finalist Pliskova followed her title win at the Brisbane International with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo.

    “I feel good on the court, especially when I win my first title in the first week of the year,” said Pliskova, who beat Serena Williams in the U.S. Open semifinals before losing to Angelique Kerber. “So I’m ready for the tournament.”(SD-Agencies)