ONCE again, Serena Williams is off to a hot start at the Australian Open.

The 23-time major winner flew past Germany’s Tatjana Maria 6-0, 6-2 in just 49 minutes.

Maria struggled serving yesterday, too, making only 3-of-14 first serves in the opening set and had seven double faults in the match.

Williams, who won the Australian Open in 2017, didn’t defend her title last year, instead taking time off after the birth of her daughter. Yesterday was also the first time Williams played an official match since her controversy-filled U.S. Open final in September.

Williams, the No. 16 seed, will take on Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard in the second round of the tournament. Bouchard beat China’s Shaui Peng 6-2, 6-1.

Meanwhile, China’s Wang Qiang beat Fiona Ferro of France, 6-4, 6-3.

Defending champion Roger Federer rolled through his opening round match at the Australian Open on Monday, too, beating Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

The win marked Federer’s 15th consecutive match win at Melbourne Park, his longest streak since he hit 19 in a row from 2006-2008.

“I’m very happy with my first round, to be honest,” Federer said. “I protected my serve well, didn’t allow Denis really to get into my service games very often. I was always in the lead, as well. Obviously that helps. I can free swing maybe a little bit more. At the same time I think I have to do some defense, some offense. It was a bit of everything.”

(SD-Agencies)